Learning how to code can be the first step to something huge. Creating a website? Creating your own app? You just need online coding courses and a development environment like Microsoft Visual Studio Pro. We made this bundle of both just for bright minds like you, now $55.97 with our early Black Friday sale (reg. $1,999). Limited codes are available and will sell out fast.

Alright, future coder: what are you going to create first? Within the 15 included coding courses, you’ll discover lessons for:

• Building websites with JavaScript, Python, and Ruby on Rails
• Designing mobile apps in Flutter and Dart and desktop apps with Java and Python
• Creating games with C++ and JavaScript
• AI and machine learning to automate tasks with Python and ChatGPT
• Database management for websites with MySQL and SQL

Don’t just sit and watch the videos—follow along and practice coding in Microsoft Visual Studio. This development environment is excellent for beginners since it offers auto-complete suggestions, next-best section options, and debugging tools.

Once you start to build web pages and apps, you’ll appreciate the more complicated features of Visual Studio Pro. For example, you can edit your code and see changes happen in real time without having to reload. Free tools usually don’t have this feature.

This beginner’s coding bundle is now $55.97 (reg. $1,999) with our early Black Friday sale. Codes are already selling out fast.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 + The 2024 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle – $55.97

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post Code like a genius with this early Black Friday deal appeared first on Popular Science.

This isn’t an ordinary bottle opener keychain—it’s also a fast-charging phone cord to be the ultimate EDC, now $24.99 (reg. $44.99). Only 50 are left in stock.

• Charge: USB-C or Lightning devices with 100W of power. See how fast your devices are charging on the LED display. You can also use the cords to transfer data.
• Clip: The carabiner clip attaches to keys, bags, or belts, while strong magnets hold the cables together so they don’t get tangled on the go.
• Cut: Use the hidden, safe-proof cutter to tear open packages without accidentally cutting yourself. You never know when this might come in handy.
• Open: Crack open a cold one with the bottle opener.

Order this multi-tool keychain for $24.99 (save 44 percent) before they’re sold out—we only have 50 available at this price.

GoCable: The Ultimate 8-in-1 EDC Charger – $24.99

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post This phone cord can also open your beer, because why not? appeared first on Popular Science.

A tablet is the perfect device for looking through photos, watching videos, and browsing the web. It’s bigger than a smartphone, less cumbersome than a laptop, and endlessly configurable with different accessories. If you’ve been in the market for a tablet, you shouldn’t wait any longer: Early Black Friday deals are here, and you can score a deep discount on many models from Google, Samsung, and Lenovo. Be sure to act fast, though, because once these tablets sell out, you won’t be able to get them at their sale price.

Google

This $100 discount on Google’s Pixel Tablet caught our eye because it’s the best Android tablet we’ve ever tested. Google designs Android, so it makes sense that the software feels like it was made for the Pixel Tablet’s hardware. Opening apps is fast, and the tablet doesn’t slow down when multiple tabs are open in Chrome. Photos, videos, and text look crystal clear on the Pixel Tablet’s 11-Inch display, and its speakers sounded surprisingly good when listening to music. The Pixel Tablet comes with 128GB of internal storage, which is plenty for casual use, and its battery has lasted a full day before needing to be recharged. If you’re interested in picking up a powerful tablet that’ll last a long time, don’t miss this deal.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+, $149.99 (Was $219.99)
• Lenovo Tab M11, $159.99 (Was $229.99)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, $199.99 (was $268.99)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, $299.99 (Was $449.99)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ Plus, $399.99 (Was $599.99)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, $619.99 (Was $919.99)

The post Save $100 on a Google Pixel Tablet and more with these early Black Friday deals appeared first on Popular Science.

If you’ve finally decided to give vinyl a shot (or want to dust off your old collection), you’ll need to hook your turntable up to a good pair of speakers. To truly experience sonic excellence, every link in your audio chain must perform as well as possible. The good news is that, with a little forethought and the right components, you can hook a record player up to any set of speakers. The bad news is all those options can introduce choice paralysis and make you get in the weeds on things like drivers and speaker wires. Don’t worry, however, as we’ve done thorough research and testing to identify the best turntable speakers—such as our best overall pick, the Klipsch The Nines—to buy right now.

• Best overall: Klipsch The Nines
• Best smart: Sonos Era 300
• Best floorstanding: Fluance Ai81 Elite
• Best compact: Andover Audio Spinbase MAX
• Best bookshelf: PSB Alpha iQ Streaming Powered Speakers
• Best passive: KEF LS50 Meta
• Best budget: Edifier R1280DBs

The reporters at PopSci take audio quality very seriously. We also want to make the journey of finding the right turntable and everything associated with it as simple as possible for you. Yes, we’ll dive into some nerdy speaker specs for those who want it, but our approach was to make our findings digestible for anybody. We factored in everything from price to the size of your room and other equipment you may or may not want in your audio setup. Want the connectivity and processing of an AV receiver? That’s perfectly fine. Live in a small space? We have you covered. Want to use the same set of speakers for both analog and digital equipment? Sure thing. Chances are you’re not going to replace or upgrade your turntable speakers frequently, so it’s important to consider your current and future needs to select the right pair.

Choosing turntable speakers is all about getting the best sound from your records. That simple axiom should be your North Star while choosing speakers, the same way it was for us during our tests and research. Our recommendations cover the spectrum of cost, connectivity options, shapes, and sizes, so anyone can find a pair they can be happy with.

Specs

• Dimensions: 13.38 x 9.5 x 19.13 inches
• Powered: Yes
• Drivers: 1-inch titanium tweeters on Tractrix horns, 8-inch woofer
• Ports: 1 x RCA, 1 x USB, 1 x Optical, 1 x AUX, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Subwoofer out
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Price: $1,499 MSRP (Pair)

Pros

• Concert-like sound
• Suitable for turntables and high-res audio files
• Built-in phono preamp

Cons

• Cost

Want a set of speakers with a connection panel dressed to the nines? That’s not why Klipsch named its latest set of powered speakers (it’s because the Nines are bigger than the Fives and the Sevens), but it’s fitting. And during our time with the Nines, we found Klipsch knocked it out of the park.

Our tests included hooking the speakers up to an Audio-Technica AT-LP140XP direct-drive turntable. While the speakers’ built-in preamp was bested by a standalone ART DJ Pre II phono preamp, we found the convenience of using The Nines as-is to be very compelling. We’re also fans of these speakers’ grounding peg, so your music won’t have to compete with an annoying hum. In our listening area—a 15×20-foot room—the speakers filled the room with well-balanced sound. Though it has a subwoofer output, we never considered plugging one in thanks to the bass response of each speaker’s massive woofer. While they worked well out of the box, we were able to make EQ tweaks using Klipsch’s mobile app.

A big part of The Nines’ appeal is that they’re an all-in-one audio system for lively sound aficionados. Yes, a sound system with multiple discrete components can sound better, but they would take up more space and you’d end up spending more money. Again, convenience without much compromise makes a compelling case for these speakers. Admittedly, The Nines are larger than standard bookshelf speakers (they’re more of a standmount speaker), but they’re still relatively compact considering the punchy, almost tower-sized sound the horn-loaded tweeters and 8-inch woofers can produce. While we’re recommending The Nines wholeheartedly for use with a turntable, digital music listeners will appreciate the fact that their DAC supports native playback for 24-bit/192 kHz resolution audio files. Whether you hook them up to a record player, TV, or computer, you’re going to get a consistent experience.

This set of turntable speakers is part of a series designed for listeners who sweat the details, and we could recommend all those speakers for analog music enthusiasts. But The Nines remain a cut (and several decibels of dynamic bass) above.

Specs

• Dimensions: 7.44 x 10.24 x 6.65 inches
• Powered: Yes
• Drivers: 4 x tweeters, 2 x woofers
• Ports: 1x USB-C
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Price: $449 MSRP (Each)

Pros

• Immersive audio from a compact cinched design
• Accommodates high-fidelity streaming via Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth sources (via SBC and AAC codecs)
• Has custom-designed acoustic accompaniment in the form of Victrola’s Stream Onyx turntable
• Can accommodate preamp-equipped turntables via a $19 USB-C dongle featuring a 3.5mm line-in jack

Cons

• Can’t replicate the soundstage width of a properly oriented stereo pair
• Not going to produce the low end of many of our other choices
• Requires a dongle and some sort of preamp for turntable playback

In the Venn diagram of immediate-immersive-impressive, the Era 300 sits in a roomy overlap. With six positional drivers in a completely original acoustic design, it’s purpose-built to produce expansive playback without a room-filling setup. Inside each Era 300 are four tweeters (one forward-firing, two side-firing, one up-firing), and two woofers (left/right). Each custom driver is powered by a dedicated class-D amplifier and paired with a custom waveguide to help direct and correct its response for clarity. And, thanks to a USB-C port that can accept a custom adapter with a 3.5mm aux input, the Era 300 can harken back to an earlier analog era when paired with a preamp-equipped turntable and an appropriate patch cable. (Want to skip all that? Get one of the Works With Sonos turntables like the network-enabled Victrola Stream Carbon Turntable.)

Say you want to compare an Apple Music Dolby Atmos mix of the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” with a 180g stereo pressing … the Era 300 will let you do that, once you understand how to navigate sources (as discussed in our full review). There’s a simplicity and complexity to the setup. For instance, to earn the smart speaker designation we’ve bestowed, the Era 300 also supports Alexa and Sonos Voice Control on top of Apple’s AirPlay 2, and it uses Trueplay auto-calibration to optimize the response to your environment. Admittedly, Sonos has had significant issues with its app after a redesign, but the company has committed to reworking its faults until they’re eliminated. And the Era 300 is still a speaker that easily slots into a whole-home audio system or just sits pretty next to a sturdy plinth (and, unlike the other options, it’s the best portable option).

Specs

• Dimensions: 37.8 x 8.50 x 10.24 inches
• Powered: Yes
• Drivers: 1 x 1-inch tweeter, 2 x 6.5-inch woofers
• Ports: 2 x RCA, 1 x Optical, 1 x Subwoofer out
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Price: $499 MSRP (Pair)

Pros

• Acoustic bass enhancement built into the design
• Good frequency response
• Can be paired with a subwoofer
• Easy connectivity from multiple sources

Cons

• Requires multiple power outlets
• No active bass

Usher your home audio into the stratosphere with the Fluance Ai81. Eschewing the need for an AV receiver or amplifier, these two-channel speakers are internally powered, with 150 watts of RMS divided between the two units. Each speaker contains two 6.5-inch woven glass fiber drivers and a neodymium tweeter. The speakers are also built around a down-firing natural concavity that enhances bass acoustically. With a 30 Hz–20 kHz response (DSP enhanced), these speakers do a solid job with most of the audio spectrum passing through your living room. However, their 30 Hz low-end might not have enough oomph for some, but that’s okay because connecting a subwoofer to this system is easy. And, at only $499 a pair, these speakers leave you with enough money in your budget for some external augmentation or high-end sources … maybe a turntable upgrade, like the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB-BK Wireless Direct-Drive Turntable?

With walnut, ash, or bamboo sides, this beautiful speaker system will augment any listening station visually and audibly. With multiple connection options—including RCA, Optical, and Bluetooth 5.0—it’s ready for anything you want to play, though a preamp is required before the RCA input. Attractive and articulate, these powered 2-way tower speakers can let your vinyl speak volumes.

Specs

• Dimensions: 22.3 x 19.6 x 8.5 inches
• Powered: Yes
• Drivers: 2 x 1-inch tweeters, 2 x 3.5-inch woofers
• Ports: 1 x RCA, 1 x AUX, 1 x Subwoofer output
• Wireless: Yes
• Price: $499 MSRP (Each)

Pros

• All-in-one design
• Built-in phono preamp
• IsoGroove Technology keeps it from rattling your turntable

Cons

• Stereo separation isn’t as good as multi-speaker setups

If you’re short on space but don’t want to skimp on sound, Andover Audio’s SpinBase MAX is the right turntable speaker for you. Rather than building two separate speakers that need to be connected with a cable, Andover Audio fits all of the components into a soundbar-looking platform designed to sit directly below your record player. In our tests, the vibration from this speaker didn’t make a turntable’s needle jump even when listening to bass-heavy music at a moderate volume level.

The SpinBase MAX’s understated look complements its integrated design. All of the speaker’s inputs and outputs are located on its backside, while the front features a large volume knob. Turning the volume knob clockwise turns it on, while turning it counterclockwise turns it off. We have to admit, a turntable does look pretty cool sitting on top of this speaker, and aesthetics have always mattered in audio—though not nearly as much as sound.

Thankfully, Andover Audio sweated the details there, too. The SpinBase MAX produced music that was detailed and textured when paired with Victrola’s Stream Onyx turntable (which is tailormade to play wirelessly with Sonos gear, such as the Era 300 above, as we discuss in our full review). We could easily pick out individual instruments in rock, pop, and jazz music across the entire frequency range. You can also tweak its sound by twisting the bass and treble knobs on the back of the speaker. Your experience will depend on your turntable, the condition of your albums, and how the music was mixed and mastered, but if you hear bad sound, it’s not because of this speaker.

The one place where Andover Audio’s SpinBase Max falls is in stereo separation, though the situation isn’t as dire as it may seem. The speaker’s drivers are pointed outward, so the sound does come at you from multiple directions to create a respectable soundstage. Still, it’s not quite as accurate as the one you’d get from a two-speaker system, which gives you full control over each one’s angle. On the plus side, you never need to worry about whether two speakers are spaced equidistantly from a wall, or whether you’re sitting in the “sweet spot.”

The SpinBase MAX succeeds at being a great solution for turntable enthusiasts without enough room for a huge audio system, and its Bluetooth support is a nice bonus if you also like listening to digital music. The company also offers a smaller version of the speaker for $299.

Specs

• Dimensions: 6.22 x 5.98 x 4.09 inches
• Powered: Yes
• Drivers: 1 x 3/4-inch aluminum dome tweeter w/ neodymium magnet and ferrofluid cooling, 1 x 4-inch polypropylene mid-bass driver w/ steel basket and rubber surround
• Ports: 1 x RCA, 1 x AUX, 1 x Optical, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x USB, 1 x HDMI eARC, 1 x MM phono input
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth (SBC, AAC, aptX HD), plus Wi-Fi
• Price: $1,299 MSRP (Pair)

Pros

• Can handle any format, from dusty to digital
• Moving Magnet phono preamp built-in
• DSP crossover and tuned rear-firing ports for bass extension
• BluOS whole-house audio setup compatibility
• Subwoofer output

Cons

• You’re only going to get so much bass out of a 4″ woofer
• While sized to fit any shelf, these speakers are still best for small rooms

The ALPHA iQ powered pair from Ontario, Canada’s PSB Speakers is compact enough to fit any shelf—tucked beside LPs, flanking a laptop, or bookending a turntable, naturally—and offer natural, nuanced playback from any imaginable source. Yes, they’re $1,299 a set (in satin white or black) and may not look like much for that price, but don’t be mistaken. Packed with class D amplifiers and wirelessly paired together, the primary and secondary speakers only require two wall sockets and Wi-Fi to give you access to AirPlay 2 and countless high-resolution streaming services through the BluOS app (while also allows you to sync/pass off audio between compatible speakers on your home network, such as the Omni-Hybrid PULSE M).

There’s TIDAL Connect with MQA decoding, and Spotify Connect built-in. There’s also Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC, AAC, aptX HD), a Toslink optical input, and you can play (up to) 24-bit/192 kHz digital files off an external USB drive. An HDMI input lets you make it a movie (or gaming) night. But we’re here because of analog albums, and these pint-sized but persuasive connected speakers include a moving magnet phono input (or 3.5mm aux-in for preamp-equipped platters) that invites any top-notch record player to the party. The ALPHA iQs impart the warmth and lucidity of well-maintained grooves, though a low-impedance cartridge can leave you wanting for more volume (and don’t forget to turn off the BluOS tone-shaping options).

A comprehensive hub for expressive audio, the active, two-way design maintains its composure and delivers full-fidelity finesse no matter how you feed the Alpha iQ. Balance and separation are top-notch, aided by PSB’s signature driver inversion—the woofer on top/tweeter on bottom configuration helps keep frequencies in phase, whether standing or sitting. The pair’s proportions can be deceiving; the ALPHA iQ speakers push impressive air for their size, capable of reaching a punchy 90 dB without breaking up (not recommended for medical reasons). No, they can’t defy physics, so fans of hip-hop, hyperpop, etc., may wish for more bass, but there’s more than you’d expect and a subwoofer output if you require reinforcement. In a typically sized room (or tighter space), the ALPHA iQ will allow you to fill the space with sound, not cords. They may not be cheap, but if it’s compact connectivity you’re looking for, they may be your best value.

Specs

• Dimensions: 7.87 x 11.02 x 11.89 inches
• Powered: No
• Drivers: 12th-generation Uni-Q driver, embedding 1 x 1-inch tweeter in 1 x 5.25-inch aluminum cone woofer
• Ports: N/A
• Bluetooth: No
• Price: $1,599 MSRP (Pair)

Pros

• Entirely transparent sound
• Extraordinary detail
• Expansive sweet spot
• Singular style

Cons

• Pricey
• Not as good in the low end as some passive speakers

KEF speakers, particularly 2012’s LS50, have dazzled audiophiles for years, but the updated LS50 Meta two-way bass-reflex speakers take the stunning clarity of sound to an even higher level. A new 12th-generation Uni-Q driver embeds the 1-inch tweeter within the 5.25-inch woofer, giving the LS50 Meta ($1,499 a pair) a stark, single-cone look and stunning off-axis response (as you can see in the $2,499 KEF LS50 Wireless II above, which shares a driver assembly with the LS50 Meta).

New, proprietary Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) is integrated behind the driver to reduce distortion. The result is a beautiful design and an even more satisfying sound, which is why they are one of our favorite speakers for music. These hi-fi speakers deliver a frequency response of 47Hz-45kHz and a maximum output of 106dB from a relatively compact enclosure of 11.89 inches (H) by 7.87 inches (W) by 10.94 inches (D). Because the LS50 Meta is a passive system, you’ll need to supply it with ample power. While you could opt for a bulky receiver, another option is a stack of separates, like the ARCAM Radia series, or an all-in-one player like the Cambridge EVO 150—an attractive, audiophile 150W-per-channel streaming amp/DAC for building the best-sounding system to project powerful audio without taking up much area (it’s also a convenient hub for digital and analog connections, including a MM phono preamp).

If you’d prefer to achieve the same pinpoint imaging in self-contained, self-amplified speakers, the KEF LS50 Wireless II is the best wireless pair because it takes the foundation of the LS50 Meta and folds in 100W of power; HDMI, analog, and digital audio ports; plus Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, including 24-bit/96kHz wireless streaming and compatibility with AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Roon, HD and Ultra HD music from Amazon Music, and more. However, you will need an external preamp to bring the signal up to appropriate levels. DSP helps the bass hit lower and harder than the Meta, while the impact that the sonically and aesthetically complementary KEF KC62 subwoofer can add to either for extending the low end and opening up the headroom cannot be overstated. Want to dig even deeper into every track? Step up to a pair of the $4,999 KEF LS60 compact tower speakers, the best premium pick with two force-cancelling bass-driver arrangements per cabinet (shown next to the LS50 below).

Specs

• Dimensions: 5.75 x 7.72 x 9.21 inches
• Powered: Yes
• Drivers: 1x .75-inch tweeter, 1 x 4-inch woofer
• Ports: 2 x RCA, 1 x Optical, 1 x Coax, 1 x Subwoofer output
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Price: $159 MSRP (Pair)

Pros

• Price
• On-speaker EQ controls
• Wireless connectivity

Cons

• No built-in preamp

The R1280DBs typify Edifier’s mission to bring excellent value to the world of audio, and are a great entry point if you’ve gotten your first turntable. The speakers feature a multi-driver audio system with a subwoofer output in case you need more bass, several connectivity options, and Bluetooth support. A pair EQ knobs on the right speaker allow you to tweak the R1280DBs’ bass and treble to your taste, which is a feature most speakers lack.

Edifier even includes a remote, so you can switch inputs or adjust the speaker’s volume from across the room, and three sets of cables so you can begin using them immediately. For $150, you’re not going to get the same quality of sound that you would get from the PSB ALPHA iQs, but those speakers are almost ten times as expensive. That said, in our experience, Edifier’s speakers have always performed very well for their price.

The only trouble you may run into when using the R1280DBs is their lack of an integrated phono preamp. If your turntable has a preamp—or you’ve already picked up a standalone one—this won’t be an issue, but it’s something to keep in mind while you’re building your system. Beyond that, Edifier’s R1280DBs are an excellent self-contained digital audio system on top of being an excellent set of turntable speakers. We also love Edifier’s R1700BT speakers, which are a little more expensive at $180, but still quite the steal.

There are an infinitesimal number of considerations one could make before picking up a pair of speakers for turntables (or anything, really), but we’ve prioritized style, size, connectivity options, upgradability and budget while addressing some frequently asked questions.

The first decision to make before picking up a pair of turntable speakers is whether you want a powered or passive pair. Powered speakers have built-in amplification (and sometimes even a phono preamp), so you can plug your record player directly into them without any other equipment. If you’re short on space or don’t want to think about juggling multiple components, they make a lot of sense. Most powered speakers also have multiple inputs—including Bluetooth antennas—which make them a lot more versatile. This means they may also have built-in preamp-electronics that increase output by between 40 – 50 dB and apply a standardized RIAA equalization curve. This allows you to integrate any turntable directly into your speakers, not just platters with their own signal-boosting setup or ones running through an additional external component into RCA inputs. Plus, you only need to dedicate at most three power outlets to your entire turntable setup.

On the other hand, passive speakers—which require amplification from an audio/video receiver, digital audio converter (DAC)-amp combo, or discrete amplifier component—have their own set of advantages. Because they have less circuitry in them, they won’t go out of date—you could pick up a vintage pair from the 1970s and connect them to an AV receiver released this year and have an excellent experience. Additionally, you could integrate your turntable speakers into a traditional home theater audio system, which could be important if you watch a lot of movies and TV shows. Remember, you’ll also need to consider what speaker wire to get if you go the passive speaker route.

Once you’ve determined what style of speaker you want, it’s time to think about their size. It’s possible to get floor-standing turntable speakers, which are several feet tall, or a bookshelf pair that is much more modest. Typically, bookshelf speakers with 5- or 6-inch drivers are ideal for use in offices, dens, and other small rooms. Conversely, standmount speakers and floorstanding models with 8-inch drivers are best suited for bigger rooms, like home theatres.

Larger speakers have room for more drivers, which can add to richer, better-balanced sound, but that doesn’t matter if you don’t have a place to put them. Similarly, larger speakers with bigger drivers allow you to listen to music at higher volumes, but that extra overhead won’t matter if you have neighbors or don’t tend to kick out the jams. We’ve decided to favor recommending bookshelf speakers because they offer the best balance of audio performance, space requirements, and cost.

Most of the factors one should consider when choosing turntable speakers have to do with the audio equipment itself, but you also need to think about where you plan on spinning your records. As we mentioned earlier, a big set of floorstanding speakers may have more oomph, but who cares if you don’t have the opportunity to use it? On the other hand, picking a pair of smaller speakers and cranking up the volume to near-maximum levels to fill your space will put constant stress on their drivers, which may lower their lives.

Is the music you love most all about that bass? If so, it may make sense to get a pair of speakers that allow you to supplement their bass driver with a subwoofer, which can fill out the low frequencies. Using a subwoofer means dedicating even more space to your turntable audio system, but it will make an immediate, noticeable difference. Explosions in movies and video games will sound more realistic, and you’ll be able to hear certain instruments more clearly. The nice thing about a subwoofer is that you can add it as a supplement to your turntable speakers at any time, not only at the time of purchase. If you decide you’re happy with the bass response of your audio system without it, there’s no reason to add one.

If you opt to connect your turntable to a pair of powered speakers, you should also consider its other connectivity options. Audio companies have outfitted their speakers with USB, HDMI, and Optical inputs to allow you to hook up a wide range of electronics to them simultaneously. If your record player is near your computer, it may make sense to get a pair of turntable speakers that can be connected to both. If all of your audio and video equipment is located in a centralized area, consider getting turntable speakers that can be connected to a TV, which would be a big upgrade over the set’s built-in audio system. We’re all for getting a single piece of gear that can serve multiple purposes, because it improves its value, and may make it easier to justify getting a higher-end component.

Yes. Any speakers are potentially turntable speakers, but you may need additional equipment—a preamp or AV receiver, for instance—to ensure the setup works.

The best ways to optimize the sound from your turntable are keeping its needle clean and cleaning your albums between spins. The signal chain of the turntable—from the needle to the cables to any outboard processing to the speakers you pick from this very roundup—will also impact the sound of your audio.

Yes. Having a turntable with a built-in preamp, a standalone preamp, or powered speakers with a preamp is required to use a turntable. Many newer turntables and powered speakers have a built-in preamp, so you don’t need to get a standalone model.

This depends on their size, whether they’re powered or passive, their connectivity options, or the size and quality of their drivers. Our turntable speaker recommendations range between $140 and $1,600.

• Best overall: Klipsch The Nines
• Best smart: Sonos Era 300
• Best floorstanding: Fluance Ai81 Elite
• Best compact: Andover Audio Spinbase MAX
• Best bookshelf: PSB Alpha iQ Streaming Powered Speakers
• Best passive: KEF LS50 Meta
• Best budget: Edifier R1280DBs

Regardless of the model you choose, the best turntable speakers will offer the best audio quality—and additional features—at their price point. The only task you have is ordering your priorities. We’ve leaned more heavily on recommending powered speakers because of their versatility, which can extend their life and value if you decide to shelve your vinyl for a while, or you rely on streaming to determine the albums that deserve a place on your shelf. Remember, there’s no wrong answer here, just the one that’s most right for your needs.

The post The best turntable speakers for 2024, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

Florida’s manatees are as much a part of the state’s seascape as flamingoes, dolphins, reef fish, and smelly seaweed. However, these gentle “sea cows” might have arrived in the state fairly recently. Like the millions of tourists who visit the Sunshine State every year, manatees may have only occasionally visited Florida for short stints before returning home to Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean. The marine mammals potentially only became a fixture in Florida after European colonization and they may have initially flourished due to the same force that is threatening them today–a rapidly warming and transforming planet. The findings are detailed in a study published November 20 in the journal PLOS ONE.

Over the course of his career, study co-author and University of South Florida anthropologist Thomas Pluckhahn realized that there was a lack of evidence showing that there was a large population of manatees in the pre-colonial era. The manatee population in Tampa Bay wasn’t even deemed plentiful until the 1950s. 

[Related: Wildlife officials are taking radical steps to save Florida’s starving manatees.]

“It is commonly assumed that Florida manatee populations were once larger than they are today,” Pluckhahn said in a statement. “Many will find the results surprising, not only because it contradicts this assumption but also because it indicates the complexity of changes that have taken place in the Anthropocene.” 

The anthropocene is our current period during which human activity has the most influence on climate and the environment. Florida anthropologists and archeologists who dig into the anthropocene and ages past began to notice that manatee bones were a rarity at archeological sites in Florida. According to Pluckhahn, they haven’t even been found in Crystal River, the Manatee Capital of the World located in western Florida.

In the new study, the team reviewed roughly 70 archaeological reports with a systematic collection and analysis of almost two million animal bones. Almost none of the bones were from manatees. When they expanded the review to other excavations, they found about a dozen reports of manatee bones that had been fashioned into tools or ornaments. However, that is not enough evidence that the mammals had a large pre-colonial Florida population.

The team hypothesizes that it is possible that manatees were not swimming in precolonial Florida at all. The tools and ornaments made with manatee bones may have arrived here via Native Americans trading with those from the Caribbean.

“The problem with that is people have been looking for proof of contact between Florida and the Caribbean during the pre-colonial era for a long time and haven’t been able to nail it down,” Pluckhahn said.

Another hypothesis is that manatees were in abundance, but there are not many bones at excavation sites because they were not hunted like other animals. However, manatees do not appear in any of the expedition logs penned by explorers who landed in Tampa Bay in between 1528 and 1595.

According to Pluckhahn, the most logical hypothesis is that manatees were then later “present only in very low numbers in Florida as occasional visitors from the Caribbean and then settled here permanently.”

The first reliable written accounts of Florida manatees date back to the period of British rule in the late 1700s. Even then, the sightings appear to have been rare. In the 1920s and 1930s, local print media began to cover manatee sightings in Miami and St. Augustine. By the mid-1950s, there were reports that manatees were “becoming more plentiful” in Tampa Bay and a few were speculated to have become permanent residents of Crystal River.  

The sudden change in manatee population likely occurred because Florida’s waters began to warm up. They were too frigid for manatees due the Little Ice Age. This period of intermittent cooling began during the 1200s and lasted through the 1800s.

The team suggests that as the effects of the Little Ice Age faded, manatees began to extend their range northward towards Florida. Warming waters due to human-caused climate change have subsequently convinced the manatees to stay put and breed. Accounts in newspapers from the late 1800s and early 1900s describe manatee sightings in warm water refuges including canals, harbors, yacht basins, and even areas near power plants. 

[Related: Meet the extinct sea cow that cultivated Pacific kelp forests.]

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida’s manatee population is estimated to be between 8,350 and 11,730. They were reclassified from endangered to threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2017, after their populations began to rebrand. However, human-caused climate change is still a threat to these gentle giants and they may be reclassified as endangered, after the population dropped seven percent between 2017 and 2019.

“Pollution is killing a lot of the sea grass that the manatees eat,” said Pluckhahn. “Plus, as we wean ourselves off fossil fuels and shut down power plants, we are taking away a refuge from them.”

The post Florida’s famous manatees were originally tourists appeared first on Popular Science.

Robots in 2024 are far more complex than their single-armed factory-working predecessors. Modern robots can run, jump, do the splits, and even hold down a basic conversation. At the same, despite decades of technical advancements and billions of dollars of investment, even the most advanced robot systems still struggle to do many everyday tasks humans take for granted like folding laundry or stacking blocks. Ironically, robots are quite bad at doing things we find easy. That’s the case for now, at least. New advances in robot training take some inspiration from massively popular large language models like ChatGPT may change that… eventually.

Robots are increasingly visible in everyday life. Factories and manufacturing facilities have used simple single-task robotic arms for decades to quickly ramp up production. In logistics, major brands like Amazon and Walmart are already having slightly more advanced robots work alongside humans to move heavy objects around and sort through packages. DHL uses Boston Dynamics’ “Stretch” robots to reach for boxes and move them onto conveyor systems. Some fast-casual restaurants like Denny’s have even experimented with multi-shelf delivery bots that shuffle plates of food to tables. Chipotle has its own AI-guided avocado-pitting prototype. Amazon alone reportedly already has over 750,000 robots in its operations, and that number is growing.

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All of these systems are impressive in their own particular ways, but none of them can compete with a human when it comes to many mundane tasks. An advanced computer model with the right software could school even the most adept chess player easily, but it would take a feat of engineering to have that same robot pick out a single chess piece from a cluttered pile. Coffee-making robots could likely pour out brews at a faster clip than a human barista but it would struggle if asked to find an old, tepid cup somewhere in a room and zap it back to life in the microwave. 

In general, robots are good at many things humans struggle with and bad at many things humans find easy. This general observation, known by experts in the robotics world as “Moravec’s Paradox” dates all the way to a 1988 book by Carnegie Mellon professor Hans Moravec. It has remained frustratingly true nearly forty years on. So what exactly is going on here? Robotosist and University of California Berkeley Professor Ken Goldberg tried to break down what accounts for these “clumsy robots” during a TED Talk last year. 

Goldbergsaid three primary challenges for robots are issues of perception, control, and physics. On the perception side, robots rely on cameras and other sensors like lidar to “see” the world around them. Though those tools are constantly improving, they still aren’t as reliable as human eyes. That’s why so-called self-driving cars have been known to make mistakes if exposed to bright flashing lights of light, or, as was the case in San Francisco last year, other cars with orange traffic cones on their hoods. Modern warehouse sorting robots like Amazon’s Sparrow, meanwhile, are quite adept when limited to their narrow parameters, according to a recent New York Times story, but reportedly struggle with more “targeted picking.” 

[Related: Researchers tortured robots to test the limits of human empathy]

“An Amazon order could be anything from a pillow, to a book, to a hat, to a bicycle,” University of Cambridge robotics professor Fumiya Iida said in a statement. “For a human, it’s generally easy to pick up an item without dropping or crushing it—we instinctively know how much force to use. But this is really difficult for a robot.”

That leads to the second problem Goldberg points out: control. Though humans and many animals like dogs have benefited from millions of years of evolution to sync up our vision with our limbs, robots don’t have that same luxury. Cameras and sensors in one part of a robot can often get out of sync with the mechanical arms or grippers tasked with manipulation and objects. This mismatch can lead robots to suddenly drop objects. That’s part of the reason why the robot slinging sizzling plates of eggs and bacon to Denny’s customers only actually brings the plate to the table. A human waiter still has to actually grab the plates and hand them to the diner. 

That hasn’t stopped some trying to imagine those capabilities into existence. During a widely watched press event at Warner Brothers Studios earlier this year, Tesla’s much-hyped “Optimus” humanoid robots sauntered throughout the event space checking IDs, whipping up cocktails, and striking up conversation with guests. In reality, those “autonomous” machines were about as real as the fake Hollywood set pieces surrounding them. Reporting following the event revealed the robots were actually teleoperated by nearby Tesla workers. But while that hyperbolic performance art is par for the course for Musk projects, it also points to a larger issue facing robotics. The type of tasks Optimus failed to perform at the event—maneuvering objects and pouring out simple mixed drinks—are actually notoriously difficult for robots generally.

Optimus make me a drink, please.

This is not wholly AI. A human is remote assisting.

Which means AI day next year where we will see how fast Optimus is learning. pic.twitter.com/CE2bEA2uQD

The final issue, physics, is one that neither humans nor robots can really control. In his lecture, Goldberg gives the example of a robot pushing a bottle across a table. The robot used the same force and pushed the bottle, in the same way, every time, but it always ended up in a slightly different position. That variation depends in part on the microscopic surface topography of the table as the bottle slides across it. Humans deal with these slight variations many times every day but we instinctively understand how to correct for it through experience.

For the most part, robots also start to struggle as soon as they are tasked with doing anything outside of the narrow set of test environments it was crafted for. Though a human would probably be able to figure out how to escape from a random room, even a highly mobile robot would get confused and waste time looking for doors in nonsensical places like the floors and ceiling. Ironically, its slight nuances like these that are proving more difficult for robots to account for than seemingly much more impressive feats like lifting heavy objects or even space travel.

“Robots can go all the way to Mars, but they can’t pick up the groceries,” Iida added. 

That’s the general dilemma up until now, but researchers currently working on so-called  “general-purpose robot brains” are hoping they can take some of the lessons learned from recent large language models and use them to make much more adaptable robots. The field of robotics has stalled compared to software and AI in recent years mainly due to a disparity in training data. LLMs like OpenAI’s GPT were able to make such large leaps because they were trained on trillions of parameters of articles, books, videos, and images scraped from the internet. Whether or not that was legal remains contested in court. 

Legal questions aside, there’s no real equivalent to the internet when it comes to robot-training data. Since robots are physical objects, collecting data on how they perform the task often takes time and is reserved in laboratories or other limited spaces. Robots are also mostly task-specific, so data from a cargo-loading machine might not really help improve a robot picking out objects from a bin. 

But several groups are now trying to see if it’s possible to essentially lump data collected from many different types of robots into one unified deep neural network that can then be used to train new, general-purpose robots. One of those efforts, called the RT-X project, is being pursued by researchers at  Google, UC Berkeley, and 32 other labs across North America, Europe, and Asia. Those researchers have already created what they are calling the world’s “largest open-source dataset of real robotic actions in existence.” 

The dataset includes real-world experiences from robots completing around 500 different types of tasks. Researchers can then take a robot and use deep learning to train it on that dataset in a simulated environment. Goldberg described processes like this as similar to a robot “dreaming.” In the RT-X case robots are able to identify training data relevant to their particular goal, such as improvements on mechanical arms, and use that to improve itself. Writing in IEEE Spectrum, Google researcher Sergey Levine and DeepMind scientist Karol Hausman compared this to a human learning to both ride a bicycle or drive a car using the same brain. 

“The model trained on the RT-X dataset can simply recognize what kind of robot it’s controlling from what it sees in the robot’s own camera observation,” the researchers wrote. 

Robotics are hopefully the more generalized “brains” that could scale up as more data is collected and possibly make new humanoid robots like those being produced by Figure and Tesla more capable of adapting to their environments. We’re already starting to get a glimpse of what that could look like. Last month, Boston Dynamics released a video showing its human-shaped Atlas robot locating grabbing, and moving engine covers around a demo room. 

Atlas was able to complete those tasks, Boston Dynamics claims, completely autonomously and without any “prescribed or teleoperated movements.” Crucially, the demo even shows Atlas at times making mistakes, but then quickly adjusting and correcting for them on the fly. 

Sure, it might now be making Negronis or folding laundry yet but it provides a glimpse of where the industry might be heading.

The post Why advanced robots still struggle with simple tasks appeared first on Popular Science.

You may have noticed a lot of people flocking to Bluesky in recent weeks: On some days, it’s seeing a million new sign ups within 24 hours. The platform has actually been around in some form since 2019, but it’s having a moment as disillusioned users migrate away from more established networks like X (formerly Twitter).

Bluesky looks a lot like X—it actually started out as a project within Twitter—so it’s not too difficult to dive in and start exploring. There are differences too however, and features you might miss, so we’ve put together this guide to make sure your time on Bluesky gets off to the best possible start.

Once you’ve signed up for Bluesky, you can access your account on the web, and on the official apps for Android and iOS. You’ll be asked to complete two tasks as part of your onboarding: to like 10 other posts (so the Bluesky algorithm knows the sort of content you like), and to follow seven other accounts to expand your network.

Liking a post is easy: Just tap or click on the heart icon underneath it. The other icons on this row let you reply to or repost something (which works like a retweet). Tap or click on the three dots and you get a host of other options—you can translate a post, copy its text, or embed it somewhere else, for example.

On this same pop-up menu you’ll also see options to Show more like this and Show less like this, which is a useful way of telling Bluesky what you do and don’t like. It can help improve your feed both on the Following tab (users you’re following) and the Discover tab (which promotes posts that are doing well more widely across Bluesky).

You’re also able to hide posts, report posts, and mute threads from this same menu, so you don’t get notifications every time someone adds a new reply under a post you’re interacting with. It all adds up to improve your Bluesky experience over time, beyond the fundamentals of following accounts you like.

When you want to contribute, use the new post button (on the left on the web, in the lower right corner in the mobile apps). You’ll see you get 300 characters to work with per post, and using the icons next to the post screen you’re able to add images and video. Tap the gray audience button—which should initially say Anybody can interact—to set the rules about who can reply to the post.

Tap or click the three dots next to any of your own posts, and you can pin the post to your profile (so it always shows up at the top). There’s a search tool built right in, and this works in a similar way to X. You can look for mentions of particular words and phrases, for user accounts, and for hashtags.

Bluesky also offers feeds, which you can see on the left-hand navigation pane on the web, and via the hashtag symbol in the top right corner on mobile. These give you alternative algorithm-driven lists for exploring more content on the platform: Pictures from artists, posts from your mutuals, posts from verified news organizations, and posts around certain topics, for example.

There are lists as well: Choose Lists in the navigation pane on the web, or tap the menu button (top left) then Lists in the mobile apps. Lists, as on X, are collections of user accounts, so you can keep all your gaming friends in one list, all your relatives in another list, and all your obscure literature accounts in a third list, perhaps. It’s up to you how you use them, and it can help you focus more on particular types of post.

Bluesky also lets you create what are known as Starter Packs: Shareable lists of interesting accounts that new users can follow when they’re just getting started. If you open up your profile on the web, then click on the Starter Packs tab, you can then click Create and put together your own Starter Pack for others to use.

You’ll need to give the pack a name, and add a short description, and you can then curate your list of accounts. You need at least eight people in your Starter Pack, and you can add feeds too. When it’s been made, it can be shared via link or QR code: You’ll be notified when someone makes use of a pack, but the people you add to it won’t know they’ve been included (unless they happen to come across it).

Delve into the Bluesky settings and there are a wealth of options to play around with: Click Settings on the left on the web, or tap the menu button (top left) and Settings in the mobile apps. Under Following Feed Preferences and Thread Preferences you can change some of the ways that posts appear on Bluesky—maybe you want to have the most-liked replies shown first in threads, for example.

Bluesky also has direct messaging: If you select Chat Settings in the main Settings menu, you can limit incoming messages to the people you’re actually following. Under Moderation there are more settings for staying safe, including tools to mute certain words and to mute or block accounts.

The post Just joined Bluesky? How to get started and the features you should explore. appeared first on Popular Science.

Roku released its highest-powered media streamer a couple of months ago, and it’s already on sale thanks to an early Black Friday deal. The latest Roku Ultra is a premium, 4K streaming device that supports all the latest audio and video formats to ensure you’re getting the best possible sound and picture when streaming. This 20 percent discount won’t last long, though, so don’t skip out.

Roku

The Roku Ultra is a no-compromise media streamer. It supports Dolby Vision HDR (High Dynamic Range), so colors in videos really pop, and Dolby Atmos for the most lifelike surround sound if you have the right speaker setup. You can connect it to your home network over Wi-Fi, but there’s also a built-in Ethernet port, so you can hardwire it for even faster speeds. The bundled remote has a rechargeable battery, backlit buttons, shortcut buttons for popular streaming services, a microphone for voice commands, and a speaker built inside. The remote also has a headphone jack, so audio from whatever you’re watching can be pumped through any standard pair of wired headphones. If you’re dissatisfied with your streaming stick, and want a device that’s a little more powerful, don’t miss this deal.

• Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, $17.99 (Was $34.99)
• Roku Express, $19.18 (Was $29.99)
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, $21.99 (Was $49.99)
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, $32.99 (Was $59.99)
• Roku Streaming Stick 4K, $33 (Was $49.99)
• Roku Streambar SE, $69.99 (Was $99.99)
• Amazon Fire TV Cube, $99.99 (Was $139.99)

The post Roku’s $79 Ultra 4K streaming box is one of the best early Black Friday tech deals appeared first on Popular Science.

What’s the weirdest thing you learned this week? Well, whatever it is, we promise you’ll have an even weirder answer if you listen to PopSci’s hit podcast. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week hits Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts every-other Wednesday morning. It’s your new favorite source for the strangest science-adjacent facts, figures, and Wikipedia spirals the editors of Popular Science can muster. If you like the stories in this post, we guarantee you’ll love the show.

By Rachel Feltman

This story starts back in the 1970s in part of Belgium. Researchers were tooling around this second century Roman cemetery and found a body. Not too surprising for a cemetery, right? It had a pin made of bone that was pretty typical for that time period and for the Roman Empire. Again, not so surprising. Scientists were like, “easy peasy, this body we found in a Roman cemetery from the second century is the body of someone who lived and died in the Roman Empire during the second century.” It went into a museum labeled as such. But that’s not the end of the story. 

Recently, researchers started to suspect something was up. For starters, the body had been found lying on its right side with its legs tucked up—which was odd, because most bodies in that time and place were interred laying flat on their backs. They also noticed that the bones didn’t really match, with some looking like they came from much younger folks than others. A group of researchers decided to analyze the bones to find out more. 

As New Scientist recently reported, their findings were pretty shocking: this skeleton was actually made from eight different people, arranged meticulously to mimic a single corpse. 

Things get even weirder: while most of the bones are from around 4212 to 4445 years ago, the head of the skeleton seems most likely to belong to a Gallo-Roman woman who lived more like 1800 years ago. We’ll probably never know why someone assembled these bones in the first place, let alone how they wound up with a chronologically mismatched head. 

As the researchers note in their paper, this isn’t the only known instance of ancient folks doing skeletal jigsaw puzzles. But for now—and, let’s be honest, probably forever—the meaning behind this strange practice will remain a mystery. 

By Cheebs

Quantum physics is wild. So wild that it’s technically possible for your hand to pass through a solid wall—though it’s super unlikely.

At the tiny, atomic scale, things don’t behave the way we expect. Normally, objects are solid because the atoms and particles that make them up are tightly packed, and the electrons around them create a sort of “force field” that stops things from passing through. But in quantum physics, particles like electrons don’t have a fixed position. Instead, they exist in a kind of “cloud” of probabilities—meaning, there’s always a tiny chance that they might suddenly “pop” through something solid, like a wall.

This is called quantum tunneling. Imagine trying to push a ball through a wall, and instead of bouncing back, it just randomly appears on the other side. In theory, something like this could happen with your hand if it were tiny enough—like, the size of a single atom. The problem is, your hand has billions of atoms that would all have to experience this at once, so the chances of this actually happening are basically zero.

So, while it’s technically possible, it’s not something you’re going to see happen in the real world. But that hasn’t stopped people on TikTok from trying! 

By Jess Boddy

Ever wondered what a witch smelled like back in the day? Some folks say they smelled really good, and others say they smell really, really bad. Regardless, witches from the Odyssey to Salem used scent to their advantage. A drizzle of some fragrant concoction could allegedly make their victims fall asleep, do their bidding, or even become fully and wholly infatuated. 

Now, you might be thinking—this is a science podcast. What’s with all the magic? But think about it: you can’t see or touch smells, but they can affect you emotionally and even physically. And really, that’s not dissimilar to how people think of magic in cultures around the world—this kind of amorphous thing that can change the way someone acts or feels.

Give this week’s episode a listen to hear all about how “magical” scents can hijack our brains—and maybe even learn how to cast a spell of your own.

The post This ancient skeleton turned out to have eight different people in it appeared first on Popular Science.

What if your projects could talk? Not in a creepy, horror-movie way, but in such a way that they could point out that obvious thing you’re missing, answer your questions, or help you brainstorm new ideas. That’s what this new AI assistant is doing.

With Merlin AI, you just upload your project files, and the chatbot transforms into an intelligent knowledge base. Picture it like ChatGPT and Google combined, saving you hours researching and digging through documents. Get a 1-year subscription to the Chrome extension and web app for $99.99 with our unbeatable price (reg. $228).

If you’re a frequent flier with ChatGPT, Gemini, or Llama, you know how time-consuming it is to hop between browser tabs. Merlin AI, powered by the same top AI models, lives in a browser extension, so you can access AI tools in fewer clicks and do more.

You might do something like…

• Ask questions about a website or article so you don’t have to read the whole thing
• Summarize the YouTube home page to see which videos are worth watching
• Generate professional-sounding work emails that impress your boss
• Write cover letters for jobs to make yourself sound smarter

Also, check out Merlin AI’s one-click AI tools. Use the essay writer to get help writing articles or academic papers and the AI content detector to make sure you don’t sound like a robot.

Unlike other AI tools, your Merlin AI subscription has no usage limits. Generate as much content as you want without running into blocks, even while using the most advanced models of GPT and Gemini it offers.

Get a 1-year subscription to this all-in-one AI tool for $99 (reg. $228) with our price that can’t be beaten. 

Merlin AI: 1-Year Subscription – $99

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post Merlin AI is like ChatGPT and Google combined appeared first on Popular Science.

Late last month, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management granted approval for a massive new lithium mine in the Nevada desert, the start of what could foretell a rapid ramp-up of domestic mining for so-called “critical minerals” in the coming years. When the plant comes online, it’s expected to produce enough lithium to help power the batteries of 370,000 electric vehicles every year. Though an impending Donald Trump administration seems poised to roll back many EV and climate change initiatives, the need for particularly coveted metals—which include copper, cobalt, and nickel—supersedes politics. Critical metals are at the core of the iPhone, Teslas, and countless other high-tech products. Global demand for these metals is expected to rapidly increase by 400-600 percent in the next few decades.

But there’s a problem brewing. All this rapid new demand for metals and the products they power may be outpacing the available supply. That means domestic mining operations, which have a long history of dealing devastating environmental damage and displacing communities, are about to get a lot more common. Governments and businesses rushing to extract as many of these resources from the Earth as quickly as possible risk further polluting the planet. Ironically, these metals are also crucial to building the wind turbines and solar panels being built to stave off a future climate disaster.

These are some of the dilemmas journalist Vince Beiser wrestles with in his new book, Power Metal: The Race For the Resources That Will Shape The Future. Beiser provides a stark account of the mind-bending amounts of extracted resources that will be needed to fuel what he’s calling the coming “Electro-Digital Age.” To illustrate that, Beiser travels to several sources of production, including a lithium mine baking in Chile’s Atacama desert. The experience of mine workers and nearby residents there at times overlap in meaningful ways with the planned mine in Nevada. The book notably isn’t arguing that a renewables-first approach isn’t worth pursuing. Rather, Beiser uses shocking forecasts and first-hand experience in active mining areas to serve as a wake-up call for what to expect moving forward. 

“Everything has a cost,” Beiser writes. “There are no solutions, no technologies, no social or economic developments that bring only benefits. Every development, however positive, also has some kind of downside.”

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An increasingly high-tech global economy will require far more critical metals than are currently being produced. To put it in perspective, Beiser notes that a single smartphone can contain up to two-thirds of all the elements on the periodic table. At some point, these elements had to be extracted, or as is often the case, blasted out of the Earth.

Beiser estimates as much as seventy-five pounds of copper ore have to be pulled from the ground in order to build one single-four and half-ounce iPhone. A single Tesla Model S electric vehicle, by comparison, requires as much lithium as roughly ten thousand iPhones. The Biden administration and other governments around the world have set targets of having half of all new cars sold be electric by 2030. Carmakers are already charging ahead, which means millions more of these resource intensive EVs will be hitting roads, not in decades, but several years. 

More of these metals will be needed to produce the many wind turbines and solar panels that will come to dominate a global economy increasingly powered by renewable energy sources. Even if a Trump administration reverses course on climate initiatives in the US, the global trend towards renewables and away from fossil fuels has already been set in motion. After decades of false starts and setbacks, renewable energy sources currently account for nearly a quarter of the electricity in the US according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Solar and wind capacity alone are expected to double by 2027. By that same year, the IEA estimates renewables will be the single greatest source of electricity worldwide. 

[ Related: What’s the most sustainable way to mine the largest known lithium deposit in the world? ]

All of that hinges on more metals being extracted from the ground. The IEA estimates the world will need ten times as much lithium by 2050 to meet renewable energy demands. By around that same time, annual demand for copper could be greater than the total amount used worldwide between 1900 and 2021. Global demand for minerals broadly is expected to increase 400-600 percent in the next few decades. Whether or not we can collectively meet that demand isn’t entirely certain. 

“We might not have enough metals to build wind turbines, solar panels, and electric cars as quickly as we need in order to keep the world from warming to the point after which climate change could become truly cataclysmic,” Beiser writes. 

Although a minority of new startups are experimenting with innovative new chemical processes to extract lithium directly from rock, the vast majority of mining for the resource now uses more traditional brine mining techniques, which requires vast amounts of water and can take a toll on local ecologies. In Argentina, lithium mining operations have already reportedly contaminated streams used to irrigate crops. In China, a lithium mine reportedly polluted a nearby river so badly that it killed the fish who lived in it and the yaks that drank its water. Mining, regardless of the target resource, generally leaves a lasting mark on its land source and the people responsible for extraction. In the US the EPA estimates that 40% of all US watersheds have already been contaminated by various forms of hardrock mining.

Those are just a few of the worrisome outcomes activists in Nevada are fighting to avoid. A recent lawsuit attempting to reverse the mine’s government approval alleges the operation would endanger various sites deemed sacred to the Indigenous, Western Shoshone people. One of those areas includes a place called Cave Spring, which the suit describes as “a site of intergenerational transmission of cultural and spiritual knowledge.” The bulk of the lawsuit, however, argues the mine would wind up decimating the local Tiehm’s buckwheat population, a delicate, six-inch-tall wildflower with cream and yellow blooms that only grow in that area. It is currently listed as an endangered species. 

Ioneer, the Australian-based mining company tasked with running the project, has said it plans to “vigorously defend” its approval. As for the Buckwheat, the company maintains it is taking necessary steps to ensure its operation can coexist with the plants. If all does go according to plan, Ioneer says it intends to start breaking ground on the mine in the stretch of desert between Reno and Las Vegas next year. Under that timeline, the mind should be fully operational by 2028.

In both Chile and Nevada, these environmental stressors directly end up impacting already disadvantaged Indigenous groups. Beiser visited villages of Atacama people living in the foothills not far from the lithium mines. Those villagers rely on nearby streams and runoff from the Andes mountains to grow their food. Locals reportedly told the author the mine’s massive water consumption already meant there was less available for them to use for farming. Those claims tend to track with a 2019 study from Arizona State University researchers which found soil moisture and vegetation had declined in the areas near the salt mines between 1997 and 2017. That’s around the same period lithium mines there quadrupled in size.

“Here, again, is the familiar conundrum,” Beiser writes. “The spread of digital technology and electric vehicles will ultimately benefit most places, but the heaviest costs of this shift are being paid by only some people and some places.” 

Supporters of expanded mining for critical minerals argue this approach, as extractive as it may be, is still far more palatable than an alternative future powered by dirty fossil fuels. An analysis released earlier this year by a prominent environmental research center called the Breakthrough Institute compared various types of mining operations and found that mining associated with wind and solar still had a much smaller environmental footprint than those tied to coal or natural gas. Generating just one gigawatt-hour of electricity with coal is reported to require 20 times the mining footprint as the same amount of electricity generated by solar or wind. 

Other, more experimental efforts are also being considered to meet soaring mineral demand. Beiser highlights several startups currently investing millions into controversial, “deep sea mining” which involves scrapping the mineral deposits from the seabed at depths greater than 200 meters. Geological surveys have shown those deep seabeds remain virtually untapped and are rich with copper, nickel, aluminum, manganese, zinc, lithium, and other metals. Opponents of this approach worry the process of essentially stripping the ocean floor could deal significant and irreversible damage to marine diversity and ecosystems. Other “space mining” startups, some with the financial backing of prominent tech leaders like Larry Paige, are exploring ways to one day extract minerals and metals from the thousands of asteroids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. Those moonshot efforts, though admittedly eye-catching, are unlikely to actually gain traction anytime soon.

All of that points to a reality where mines like the one being contested in Nevada become much more common in the future. It’s not all bad news. Experts are cautiously optimistic innovations in battery tech could make future iterations powering vehicles far more efficient and less resource-intensive than the current generation. Advances in lithium-ion battery recycling simultaneously mean future EVs may be able to source a sizable chunk of their necessary metals and components from older, phased-out models. On a societal level, government leaders in the US and Europe say new domestic mining operations could add many needed jobs to shaky economies and help diversify global supply chains. Still, it’s almost guaranteed a wave of new critical minerals would put pressure on environments and the communities that reside near them. 

All of these approaches, from new mines to deep sea excavation, are rooted in the same underlying assumption: humans will keep consuming more and more resources. That doesn’t necessarily need to be the case. Governments and individuals could shift attitudes away from cheap, dispensable consumer goods. Technicians and mechanics empowered by right-to-repair laws could extend the lives of phones and other resource-intensive electronics rather than have them disposed of on a yearly basis. In general, the most surefire way to sidestep the need for a new age of extractive mining might be simply to use less and prevent the demand from manifesting in the first place. Unfortunately, all signs seem to suggest that the train has left the station. 

“Maintaining the same level of consumption is impossible,” Chilean scientist and microbiologist Cristina Dorador told Beiser. “We need to change the way that we live on Earth.”

The post ‘Everything has a cost:’ High-tech products and the new era of mineral mining appeared first on Popular Science.

A small silver coin that was struck in 17th century Boston just sold for $2.5 million dollars. The 1652 Massachusetts threepence is about the size of a nickel, weighs only 1.1 grams, and the silver itself has a value of $1.03 based on today’s market. This eye-popping auction price beats the previous world record price of $646,250 for an American coin that was struck before the American Revolution. It has also set a record sale price for any non-gold United States coin that struck before the founding of the United States Mint in 1792. 

The threepence was struck only a few weeks before the first mint would be opened in the future US. The Boston Mint was officially created on May 27, 1652 to help ensure that businesses in the already commercially successful Massachusetts Bay Colony had an adequate supply of money. At the time, England was not inclined to send gold and silver coins to the colonies, as they were in short supply there. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Boston authorities allowed two settlers, John Hull and Robert Sanderson, to create the mint in 1652. The pair were soon striking silver coins, defying the crown’s authority. 

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This New England threepence coin is also the only example outside of a museum. The Massachusetts Historical Society has had one of these coins in its collection for 120 years and no individual collector has had the chance to own one of these. 

All types of coins that were made at the Boston Mint are scarce. Silver threepences, sixpences, and shillings were all struck in four different designs between 1652 and 1682. The most famous and numerous of these coins are the Pine Tree shillings that were struck over the last 10 years of the Boston Mint’s operation. These NE 1652 coins are extremely rare and all have a small NE for New England and their value in pence (rendered as III, VI, or XII). Of the NE coins of 1652, the threepence piece is the most rare. 

This particular threepence piece was found in an old cabinet in Amsterdam around 2016. It is believed to have come from the Quincy Family of Boston. This New England political dynasty included Abigail Adams, whose husband John was ambassador to the Netherlands in the 1770s and 1780s and eventually the second president of the United States. Abigail’s great-grandfather was the stepbrother of John Hull who minted these coins. Extensive testing by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) revealed that it is a true NE threepence. 

[Related: Benjamin Franklin used science to protect his money from counterfeiters.]

Stack’s Bowers Galleries Director of Numismatic Americana John Kraljevich, said that he was “very pleasantly shocked” at the price, which was more than three times in-house presale estimates. The buyer was not named. 

Two other examples of the 1652 New England shilling were also sold in this auction for $60,000 and $192,000. Other collectibles that the auction house has sold for more than $1 million include the 1936 Nobel Peace Prize medal and rare pieces of paper money.

The post Colonial silver coin found in cabinet sells for $2.5 million appeared first on Popular Science.

You’re not alone if you’ve ever listened to your voice on a recording and absolutely hated it. The physiological reasons for this are relatively straightforward: Voice production starts in the diaphragm when air is pushed from the lungs. This air blows past the vocal cords at high speeds, causing them to vibrate hundreds of times per second. This creates pitches that then move up the throat before being shaped by the tongue and mouth to make a sound. How that sound is perceived then splits into two categories: air conduction and bone conduction. 

Air conduction is the way we hear most sounds, including recordings of our voice. The waves travel through the air and enter the ear canal, vibrating the eardrum, which passes those vibrations to the tiny bones in the middle ear. These vibrations are then transmitted to the cochlea in the inner ear, where they are converted into electrical signals sent to the brain. Bone conduction, however–or how we hear our own voice in real time–bypasses the middle ear altogether. It occurs when sound vibrations are transferred to the cochlea through the skull bones. 

Still, it’s odd to find your voice unpleasant when it’s an extension of yourself. Research scientists who have investigated this phenomenon believe the reason someone may dislike how they sound is a combination of the physiology behind how our voice is perceived in our hearing organs and psychological and social pressures associated with how someone speaks. 

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Research has shown that the sound of someone’s active speaking voice, which refers to what other people hear when you talk, influences how they are perceived. This can lead to assumptions as to what specific social attributes someone has or lacks—including intellect, wealth, trustworthiness, agreeableness, emotional stability, and competence. 

“Our voices are the way that we express ourselves intrinsically and the way that we present ourselves to the outside world,” said Dr. Brian Nuyen, a board-certified otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon at Stanford Health Care. 

“The stakes are really high,” Nuyen continued. “People can make snap judgments and people do make snap judgments about our voice.” 

This can be particularly distressing for some people who are transgender or non-binary and feel that their voice is not aligned with their gender identity. In these instances, vocal congruence can be helpful.

“A big component of that is specialized gender-affirming voice therapy,” said Dr. Libby Smith, division chief of laryngology at the University of Pittsburgh and the director of the UPMC Voice Airway and Swallowing Center. “Sometimes surgery is also required, but oftentimes, the strategies provided by a speech pathologist to help someone identify how to modify what they’re doing in the choice of words, tone, and the choice of prosody (the melody of speech) can also help them achieve that congruence without surgery, which is really nice.”

[ Related: Why do we have earlobes? They make no evolutionary sense. ]

Professional voice users—such as journalists, CEOs, politicians, media personalities, celebrities, or educators—also change their voices for a different reason: to portray themselves in a way that best serves their professional interests. 

“It’s not uncommon for people to alter their voice to meet the job demands. So, for female journalists and broadcasters, sometimes lower their pitch a bit,” said Smith. “Oftentimes, it’s through something called glottal fry because, unfortunately, there is a societal idea that lower-pitch voices denote authority. Hopefully, that’s something that we’re working on as a society to change. But that is the reality at the present.” 

Changing how the voice sounds can be done in several ways, including by modifying the breath or the way you support it from your diaphragm to altering how you shape sounds with your lips, tongue, palate, and teeth to get a sound that you like. 

“A lot of folks can and do change the way that they’ve produced their voice. It’s such a malleable instrument in our body,” said Nuygen. “We can adapt and use feedback to change the way that we perform our bodily functions, including our voice.”

This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

The post Why do people hate the sound of their own voice? appeared first on Popular Science.

While most of the world is content to rush toward a wireless future, audiophiles know the truth: the best sound quality still comes from wired headphones. Without Bluetooth compression to worry about, you can listen to music in full fidelity, enjoying every tiny detail and nuance that made you fall in love with music in the first place. A great pair of headphones can breathe new life into your favorite music. The best can let you hear details you may have never heard before. Others can sweep you away with their spacious and immersive listening experiences. Finding the best pair of headphones isn’t always easy. If you can’t listen to them for yourself, you’re stuck with a mountain of research and recommendations that can be more confusing than helpful. That’s where we come in. We’ve done the research for you and have spent hours listening to countless sets—like our best overall, the Sennheiser HD 660 S2—to bring you the headphones that kept the cord and struck a chord with us. These are the best wired headphones for every kind of listener. 

• Best overall: Sennheiser HD 660 S2
• Best dynamic: Focal Utopia (2022)
• Best planar: HIFIMAN Arya Organic
• Best closed back: Meze LIRIC II
• Best for mixing: Sony MDR-MV1
• Best for iPhone: Questyle NHB-15
• Best in-ear headphones: Thieaudio Monarch MKIII
• Best for gaming: beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
• Best budget: Philips SHP9600

I’ve been writing about tech online for more than a decade and have been a music lover my whole life. Over the last 10 years, I’ve written about headphones, in-ear monitors, and other audio equipment extensively for MMORPG.com, IGN, PC Perspective, and, of course, Popular Science. During that time, I’ve tested hundreds of headphones and have a personal collection that most people would consider unhealthily large. I love headphones almost as much as I love music; they are the lens through which we experience what moves us.

For this collection, I began by considering the many headphones and IEMs I’ve tested over the years and seeing which truly stood out as something special. After that, I expanded my search to include the many sets I didn’t personally experience but have been widely regarded by critics and real listeners. Sound quality was first on my list, followed closely by fit, comfort, design, and build quality, as well as long-term reliability. I narrowed this lengthy list down to eight core picks, broken into categories for different types of listeners. I spent extensive time with seven of the nine picks. The remaining two, the Meze LIRIC II and Focal Utopia, have spent many hours on the head of our editor, Tony Ware. Our final collection represents an array of options from leading brands in the space, ranging from the boutique and audiophile to the affordable and accessible. 

With our considerations in mind, which you can read below the picks, you’d be equipped to search the internet and make the best choice from the featured options. If you’d rather save yourself time, we’ve done the research for you. Looking for a sound investment? These are the best headphones to deliver an expressive audio experience that’ll get you wired.

Why it made the cut: The HD 660 S2 is a jack of all trades for the everyday listener, balancing outstanding sound quality, great comfort, and a reasonable price.

Specs

• Price: $400
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Earcup design: Open-back
• Driver type: Dynamic 
• Weight: 260 grams
• Impedance: 300 ohms
• Sensitivity: 104dB

Pros

• Overall balanced sound signature that leans a bit warmer than the original
• Wider soundstage
• Strikes a good middle-ground between price, performance, and comfort

Cons

• Plays it relatively safe in sonic improvements
• Substantially more expensive than HD 650, HD 6XX

Sennheiser is one of the most esteemed brands in the entire audio industry, and its HD 600 series is one of the longest-running default recommendations for anyone looking for a great pair of cans that don’t break the bank. The HD 660 S2 is the latest entry, and though they play it safe with their improvements, what has changed makes us feel like these are the best all-around bet for the majority of listeners. 

Like its predecessors, the HD 660 S2 aims for balance. It doesn’t tread too far in any direction, so you can count on a listening experience that’s overall neutral but also a bit more fun and certainly more engaging. Sennheiser has subtly increased its 600 series bass extension for deeper rumble and tweaked the mids for a wider soundstage. At times, the treble can sound more detailed because of this change. At others, the bass seems to warm the sound instead. It’s music-dependent but always enjoyable.  

It’s clear that Sennheiser didn’t want to fix what wasn’t broken with its beloved headphone series, and as a result, it feels a bit safe. That doesn’t mar the fact that this is still an outstanding pair of headphones intentionally designed for wider appeal and to address some of the most common criticisms of the originals: they were bass light, had “three blob” imaging, and didn’t have a great soundstage. The HD 660 S2 corrects all three and is also ridiculously comfy thanks to its plush velour earpads and well-balanced weight.

Its higher price will be a sticking point for some, though we think it earns its keep with how well it balances its aims. If you don’t mind playing with EQ, the Drop x Sennheiser HD 6XX and original HD 650 are still great picks that can get you very close to what the 660 S2 offers. But for an out-of-the-box, no-tweaks-required experience, the HD 660 S2 is a great pick that’s sure to please. 

Why it made the cut: Class-leading in nearly every way, the Focal Utopia drips decadence and backs it up with solid sound.   

Specs

• Price: $5,000
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 490 grams
• Impedance: 80 ohms
• Sensitivity: 104dB

Pros

• Decadent design and presentation
• Wonderfully balanced sound
• Rich in detail and clarity

Cons

• Potential comfort issues
• Smaller soundstage than expected at this price

Hailing from France, the 2022 revision of the Focal Utopia is the definition of decadence. At $5,000, this headphone could easily win a category for “best splurge,” but there’s substance behind its style. Utilizing pure beryllium dynamic drivers with Focal’s proprietary M-shaped design and acoustic dampening, it offers a balanced yet incredibly detailed sound signature. This class-leading pair of headphones lets you understand why someone might pay so much for a pair of headphones. 

Focal is an expert at its craft, and nowhere is that clearer than with the Utopia. The engineers clearly aimed for a more reference sound with this set, so while the bass isn’t over-represented, it has genuine impact and speed. It’s a case of quality over quantity and only needs to be heard to be understood. Texture, nuance, and pound: these are the watchwords for the Utopia 2022. 

That level of quality doesn’t subside at higher frequencies. Pure beryllium drivers are coveted for their responsiveness and rigidity, which directly translates to speed and precision. Layering and separation are articulate, so you’ll never be left wondering if you’re hearing everything your music has to offer—you’ll know. That can be a double-edged sword for poorly mastered tracks, but when everything comes together, it’s akin to jumping from 480p straight to 4K Ultra HD. 

With such a high asking price, Focal pulled out all the stops with its presentation and build quality. The unboxing experience is one of the best with an artful presentation of its cables and accessories. Its documentation even comes in its own leather folio. The headphones themselves make heavy use of metal for durability and offer an exceptionally attractive honeycomb grill design with hints of red behind the center logo. The yokes are real carbon fiber, and the cable connections utilize genuine LEMO terminations. It’s fittingly overbuilt.

The biggest drawbacks you’re likely to experience have to do with comfort and soundstage. Focal didn’t change the design much from the 2016 version, so the clamp force is still on the tighter side and rests a bit too much on the top of your head. Some users have found a hot spot developing before long. The soundstage, on the other hand, is surprisingly closed in for an open-back flagship pair of headphones. While not congested in any way, you won’t be mistaking sirens in a song for sirens out your window.

Still, this pair of headphones oozes luxury and has a sound to back it up. 

Why it made the cut: A revision of the highly esteemed Arya Stealth Magnet, the Arya Organic has a fuller sound signature, enhanced comfort, and easier drivability. 

Specs

• Price: $1,299
• Wearing style: Over-ear 
• Driver type: Planar magnetic
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 440 grams
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Sensitivity: 94dB

Pros

• Much fuller sound than previous models
• Fantastic soundstage and detail
• Improved fit and comfort 

Cons

• Very large
• Can still be difficult to drive well

The HIFIMAN Arya has been one of the best headphones in its price bracket since its debut in 2018, but the crisp sound signature of the original and Stealth Magnet revision left bass fans feeling left out. The Arya Organic changes that with the fullest sound of any Arya model to date and doesn’t sacrifice any of the spaciousness and detail that made it so popular in the first place. Improved comfort and ergonomics also make it the easiest and most securely fitting yet, making it the most well-rounded and appealing Arya ever released.

Planar magnetic headphones are renowned for their detail, speed, and clarity, and the Arya Organic embraces every piece of what makes them so beloved. Their large egg-shaped earcups make way for an exceptionally open and wide sound. Instruments ring out with room to breathe, creating a strong perception of depth in the listening experience. Every note, every finger slipping across a fretboard rings out with lifelike clarity. Because of their depth and fantastic imaging, no one element feels over-loud. It’s natural, crisp, and, with the right music, quite beautiful.

While not overdone to muddy the rest of the mix, the low-end is wide and foundational to fill out any track that calls for it. It’s exacting, starting and stopping with precision, swelling up when called for, and falling back when not. Hip-hop and metal fans may still find that they crave more punch and slam, but it remains full-bodied enough for just about any genre or style of music and will wow you with its detail. Just make sure you have some kind of amplifier to drive it because a laptop or simple dongle DAC won’t cut it. 

The Arya Organic is huge. There’s no way around its size, but it fits more snuggly than any version before it. Most listeners should be able to find a comfortable fit, which has been a long time coming for these headphones. Between its incredible sound, comfortable fit, and enrapturing presentation, the Arya Organic is an incredible choice among planar magnetic headphones.

If you’re not a fan of the over-large egg-shaped design, the Audeze LCD-3 is a great alternative that research indicates offers very similar performance. And from a brand as esteemed as Audeze, you’re not likely to go wrong. 

Why it made the cut: This top-tier closed back won’t bleed sound but is surprisingly spacious. It’s detailed, comfy, and downright gorgeous.

Specs

• Price: $2,000 
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Planar magnetic
• Earcup style: Closed-back
• Weight: 427 grams
• Impedance: 61 ohms
• Sensitivity: 100dB

Pros

• Phase-X Spatial Imaging works wonders with soundstage and imaging
• Included hand-braided balanced copper cable adds value
• Gorgeously designed and very comfortable
• Full-bodied, rich, and highly detailed listening experience

Cons

• Treble, while more attenuated than the original, may be too energetic for sensitive ears
• Relatively heavy, though the wide headband distributes weight well

The Meze LIRIC II is what every great successor should be: an evolution that discards what doesn’t work, enhances what does, and adds fresh features to create something new and exciting. Meze listened to the community with this redesign, and the result is a pair of closed-back headphones that leap-frog the original and are genuinely surprising in more ways than one. 

The biggest advancement, apart from its new and elegant Macassar ebony wood earcups, is the Phase-X Spatial Imaging technology and QWRM (Quarter Wavelength Resonator Mask) layered onto its planar magnetic drivers. The company describes these systems as reducing phase distortion and increasing linearity, as well as attenuating fatiguing frequency peaks. But the real-world impact is a much more spacious and positionally accurate sound than a closed-back headphone has any right to provide. It offers a genuine “wow” moment upon first listening and keeps on giving as you re-discover familiar tracks. It’s as close as a closed-back headphone has come to an open-back experience as we’ve heard. 

The sound signature is U-shaped with emphasis on both the mid-bass (bass guitars, synths, cellos, etc.) and the lower treble. This gives it a very full-bodied, lush sound that’s simultaneously very crisp with excellent layering and instrument separation. Of course, some listeners might even find it to be too hot, so we’d recommend being open to EQ if you’re treble sensitive. 

The LIRIC II is the closed-back complement to the Meze Empyrean II, another Meze Audio headphone revised in 2023 that wowed us. Both are amazing, but the LIRIC’s superior isolation makes it a much better fit for travel. 

If you’re looking for something a bit more versatile, something to bridge the gap between wired and wireless, the Dali iO-12 (shown below) is an option worth considering. Built with a custom low-distortion magnet/driver system derived from flagship loudspeakers, these $1,300 wired noise-canceling headphones offer striking clarity. Along with effortlessly rendering details across an expansive soundstage, these headphones offer advanced features like USB-C DAC, passive 3.5mm, and Bluetooth 5.2 (SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive) connectivity; active noise cancellation, making them great for airplanes, etc.; and the ability to fold flat in a travel case when not in use. While plush, the chocolate brown earcups with gold accents also won’t attract as much attention as the LIRIC II, with its gorgeous polished faceplates that broadcast luxury from every angle (but also threaten to take on scratches and scuffs). 

Why it made the cut: With its spacious, accurate sound, exceptional build quality, and top-tier comfort, the MDR-MV1 is made for the rigors of the studio. 

Specs

• Price: $398
• Wearing Style: Over-ear
• Driver Type: Dynamic
• Earcup Style: Open-back
• Weight: 223 grams
• Impedance: 24 ohms
• Sensitivity: 100dB

Pros

• Well-balanced sound signature with enough bass for monitoring
• Atmospheric, well-layered sound
• Wide frequency response

Cons

• No protective storage case
• Significantly more expensive than their predecessor

If you’ve worked in or visited a recording studio, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the Sony MDR-7506, the predecessor to the MDR-MV1. It’s a classic pair of mixing cans and affordable enough to be a staple even among students studying audio engineering. The MDR-MV1 upgrades everything from the sound quality and construction right down to the cable. They’re designed to let you peek into a mix with utter precision and comfort and to stand the test of time—all for more than triple the price. 

But don’t let that scare you. The MDR-MV1 is seriously excellent for mixing and monitoring music. The headphones are made of lightweight aluminum with open and highly perforated earcups to trim off even more weight (on top of tuning its sound). At 223 grams and sporting plush suede ear cushions, you can wear these all day for mixing and all evening for movies and games with only headphone hair to show for it. Hot-spotting and ear fatigue just aren’t issues with the MV1. 

More importantly, its sound is highly tuned to match the needs of a mix engineer. Though it’s not the most spacious listen in sheer soundstage, its layering and detail are next-level. You can pick what’s happening throughout the stereo field even in a highly layered and busy track. The sound isn’t wide, but it is deep, which perhaps isn’t surprising given that these headphones were designed with spatial audio productions in mind (Sony’s 360 Audio specifically). 

So even though they’re more expensive than the original, they’re the exact right mix of comfort, sound quality, and tonal balance to max them premiere mixing cans for the price. 

Looking for something closed-back or backed by a current industry pro? The Audeze MM-500 is a fantastic, if more expensive, alternative designed in collaboration with multi-Grammy-winning producer Manny Marroquin. It doesn’t come cheap but is very impressive in its own right. 

Why it made the cut: This hi-res pair of earphones features MFi certification, a USB-C or Lightning cable, and a built-in audiophile-grade DAC and amp. 

Specs

• Price: $350
• Wearing Style: In-ear
• Driver Type: Dynamic
• Weight:  26 grams
• Impedance: 38 ohms 
• Sensitivity: Not disclosed

Pros

• Built-in DAC/amp
• Detachable cable can be used with other IEMs 
• MFi (Made For iPhone/iPad) certified

Cons

• Lightning cable is a separate model/accessory

The headphone jack’s death has been hard for all of us, but Apple users finally have a high-resolution solution with the Questyle NHB-15. This pair of in-ear monitors is MFi-certified to work with Apple devices and ships with both 3.5mm and USB Type-C cables for easy connectivity (not just to iOS but also Android, HarmonyOS, Windows, and macOS devices). Of course, not every iPhone user has upgraded to the 15 series, so there is a Lightning cable model, and you just might want to pick up this accessory for the excellent features and sound quality they offer. 

While the NHB-15 sounds great on the minijack cable (which allows it to be used with a dongle of choice), its magic really lies in the USB-C cable. Since it draws power from its audio source, Questyle was able to outfit it with a high-quality DAC and amp built right into its cable. Taking advantage of the company’s proprietary Current Mode technology, the custom dynamic driver can deliver a crisp and engaging sound with absolutely no background noise. After all, the name promises NHB—what you’ve Never Heard Before. Though they’re ultimately not the most detailed IEMs available at this price, they’re no slouch either; you’ll hear more simply because of how silent the DAC and amp circuit is. And it’s capable of processing a signal up to 192k with ultra-low distortion at 0.0002%, more than enough for the hi-res lossless streams on Apple Music. The best part is that the cable is detachable and uses a standard 2-pin connection, making it compatible with a vast sea of other IEMs. 

These earphones are versatile and well-suited to a multitude of genres, but pop and rock are at the front of the priority list. The bass is full without sounding boomy, vocals are natural and centered, and the highs, while slightly smoothed over, offer enough detail to make them sound crisp. It plays it safe, but that also means most listeners should also be able to bob along with their favorite music happily.

The NHB-15 also embraces an Apple-friendly sense of style. The earpieces are small and low-profile but eminently stylish thanks to their polished metal shells and white cable. They don’t look fancy enough at a glance to garner unwanted attention but, on close inspection, offer a satisfyingly premium look and feel. If you’re an iPhone user, the NHB-15 is one of the most low-hassle, high-performance pairs of wired IEMs you can buy.

Why it made the cut: The Monarch MKIII is the premiere IEM for around $1,000, and it is ridiculously detailed without sacrificing the bass.

Specs

• Price: $1,000
• Wearing Style: In-ear
• Driver Type:  x2 dynamic drivers, x6 balanced armatures, x2 electrostatics
• Weight: Not disclosed
• Impedance: 20 ohms 
• Sensitivity: 99dB

Pros

• Punchy and textured bass
• Exceptionally detailed
• Spacious, airy sound signature

Cons

• Large size
• Limited accessories

As you might have guessed from the name, the Thieaudio Monarch MKIII is the third iteration of this pair of earphones (yes, earphones, not headphones, but they’re far-from-distant relations). And it is the best version yet. Thieaudio took the tribrid (three driver type) design of the previous versions and built upon it, adding a second dynamic driver, new versions of its electrostatics, and a refined tuning that offers fast and powerful bass alongside a sparkly and immaculately detailed sound.

While there’s a lot to love about these in-ear monitors (another name for deeper insertion, higher-resolution wired earphones), the show’s star is absolutely the bass. It uses Thieaudio’s new IMPACT2 system that houses both dynamic drivers in an isobaric chamber. The result is bass that is powerful yet controlled and exceptionally rich in texture. Kick drums have a rapid pound, while bass guitars and synths draw you in with a wide, textured foundation.

The mids and highs are nearly as good. Since the bass doesn’t step on the mids, vocals and instruments can resonate with excellent clarity and true-to-life timbre. The transition to the highs is seamless and allows harmonics to ring out so instruments like guitars and pianos are clarion and unveiled. The electrostatic drivers play a major role in making the highs sound as airy and detailed as they do, all while avoiding fatiguing sharpness in cymbals and hi-hats. 

There’s a lot to love about the Monarch MKIII, and for its price, it’s simply one of the best in-ear monitors you can find at this price and substantially higher. A thousand-dollar pair of IEMs would not often feel like a winning value, but this is definitely a case where it does. 

Just don’t expect tons of accessories. You’ll receive a modular cable, a handful of eartips, a travel case, and not much else. Still, it’s hard to argue that the Monarch MKIII is anything other than fantastic. 

Why it made the cut: Perfect for multi-hour gaming marathons, the DT 990 PRO offers all-day comfort and the positional accuracy gamers demand. 

Specs

• Price: $170
• Wearing Style: Over-ear 
• Driver Type: Dynamic 
• Earcup Style: Open-back
• Weight: 340 grams
• Impedance: 80 ohm 
• Sensitivity: 96dB

Pros

• Highly positional sound
• Very detailed and resolving
• Exceptionally comfortable over long gaming sessions

Cons

• Can be too bright for some
• Cable is too long

The beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro is perhaps one of the most well-regarded audiophile-tier headphones in the world of gaming. Propelled to the mainstream by mega-streamer, Ninja, these cans have proven to be some of the best for gaming in general and competitive gaming in particular. 

The secret to these gaming headphones’ success is in their highly positional sound. While not the widest or most spacious in the world, their bright tuning allows you to pick up on positional cues to locate your enemies by their footsteps or distant gunshots. For games like Call of Duty, being able to hear your enemy before you see them is a major advantage. 

Compared to many other headphones on this list, they’re lightweight and exceptionally comfortable. Their velour ear pads hug your ears like soft pillows, allowing you to play for hours with ease. Some listeners may find their brightness and long, studio-aimed cable a little bothersome, but when it comes to gaming cans, these are a bargain. Like the sound signature and thinking about going into sound design? If you want to lean in on the critical listening end of the frequency spectrum, there’s an easy upgrade path from the DT 990 Pro to the $269 900 Pro X to the $529 DT 1990 Pro—each model more energetic and exacting than the last.

If you’re looking for something that’s just as good for pure musicality as it is for gaming, the Audeze LCD-GX is an excellent alternative that even includes a microphone. Just be prepared for its much higher price. 

Why it made the cut: The SHP9600 makes for the perfect introduction to audiophile-grade headphones for listeners on a budget.

Specs

• Price: $69.99
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic 
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 292 grams
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 102dB

Pros

• Spacious soundstaging
• Very comfortable
• Warm, non-fatiguing sound

Cons

• Detail isn’t that remarkable
• Loose fit
• Over-long cable

The Philips SHP9500 has been a staple recommendation for budget-conscious audiophiles for years, but now that its successor has arrived, there’s no reason to stick with old hardware. The SHP9600 looks better, sounds better, and won’t break the bank. It offers a warm sound signature with plenty of bass and comfortably smooth mids and highs for long listening sessions. 

They won’t win awards for being the most detailed (a fact which was also true of their predecessor), but you wouldn’t expect them to at this price. Instead, they exist to whet your appetite and act as a first step into the world of high-fidelity headphones. But that doesn’t mean they underperform. For the money, they still manage to impress. Once you get a taste of it, don’t blame us if you find yourself shopping for even better headphones in the future. 

Some qualities that make the SHP9600 especially appealing are that they are lightweight and have an above-average soundstage. Like detail, you’ll find lighter and wider headphones higher up the price ladder, but for the price, these open-backs exceed expectations. And since they’re so svelte (and stylish, we might add), you’ll be able to comfortably wear them all day. 

If you’re looking to skip this first step and can extend your budget to around $100, the Thieaudio Ghost is an excellent alternative. Heavily inspired by the Sennheiser HD 650/HD 6XX, it offers a balanced sound signature with greater detail, an even lighter weight, and is just as comfortable. If the Philips SHP9600 is our pick for “best budget,” the Thieaudio Ghost would be our choice for “best value.”

If you’re shopping for a great pair of wired headphones, there’s a lot to consider. Here are the most important things to look for while in the consideration phase. 

Headphones come in many different styles and one size does not fit all. They come in three basic varieties: on-ear (supra-aural), over-the-ear (circumaural), and in-ear, with many variations within each of these categories. Some headphones are very large, trading sleekness for larger earcups and a more spacious sound. Others are low profile and won’t attract unwanted attention on your commute. 

Consider the dimensions of headphones carefully. As strange as it sounds, measuring the length of your ears and comparing to the dimensions of a potential headphone can be a worthwhile step to ensuring they’re going to be a good match for your anatomy. Some headphones, like the HIFIMAN Arya Organic, feature egg-shaped ear cups that extend down your jawline. Others, like the Grado SR60X rest directly on top of your ear. Both could be perfect, or irritating, depending on your preferences.

Another thing to carefully consider is how much the headphones weigh. Audiophile headphones, and planar magnetics, in particular, can become quite heavy. As a rule, anything over 400 grams is considered rather weighty and can cause sore spots on the crest of some listeners’ heads. This is especially true if you have short or no hair, but can vary from listener to listener and how the headphones balance their weight. A single headband is more likely to result in soreness than a suspension strap.

Compare the weight with the headband and read user reviews to develop an idea about the fit and comfort of each pair of headphones you’re considering.

Headphones can be either “open” or “closed.” This refers to the outer face of the earcup and whether or not it is a solid surface or some form of grille to let air escape. Look carefully at the specifications, not just images, because some closed-back headphones feature grilles for aesthetic purposes only.

Closed-back headphones have solid backs and are better at isolating sound. These over-the-ear headphones block out more of the world around you and also keep your music from irritating other people in your space. They tend to have a less spacious sound overall because of this but more powerful bass. 

Open-back headphones let sound freely travel out of the earcup, which usually results in a greater sense of space when listening. The best open-back headphones can sound like the sound isn’t actually coming from right next to your ears and offer better positional accuracy and imaging. They’re the better choice for gaming and mixing because of these qualities. Sound bleed is a real issue, however, and you’ll hear everything around you too, which can be distracting when you’re trying to focus on your music. 

In general, closed-back headphones are better suited for listening around other people. If you’re alone or don’t need to worry about bothering others, open-backs are our go-to recommendation.

Headphones are just speakers strapped to your head, and the part of the headphone that makes sound is called the transducer, or driver. But that doesn’t mean they’re all the same, and there are a couple of key types you need to know about. The first is dynamic drivers. Dynamic drivers are the most common type you’ll find in headphones, especially if you’re used to buying your headphones from a department or electronics store. They feature cone-shaped diaphragms powered by large magnets. They’re a jack of all trades, which is why they’re so ubiquitous, but have a particular strength in bass.

The second driver type is planar magnetic. These drivers use completely flat diaphragms traced with electrical filaments. These drivers are flanked on one or both sides by rows of powerful magnets. They’re larger and heavier than dynamic drivers but are renowned for their exceptional clarity and low distortion. Because of this, headphones that utilize them are often bigger and heavier. Their clarity makes them a popular choice among audiophiles. 

In-ear monitors—also known as in-ears or IEMs—use miniature versions of these drivers, as well as an array of others. Balanced armatures, typically found in hearing aids, are common and often work in conjunction with a dynamic driver to round out their sound (but not always). Electrostatic drivers are another, which offer exceptional treble detail but are usually very expensive. Bone conduction and piezo drivers are also sometimes found. The more important thing to consider is how these drivers are being used and how they impact their overall sound, which can be found in the product description and reviews.

Sound signature, tonality, and tonal balance all refer to how a pair of headphones sounds. In simple terms, it’s the balance between the bass, mids, and treble. Some manufacturers make this information known through frequency response graphs: line charts that show how loud the frequencies are across the three registers. This is often left to reviewers while the brand contents itself on flowery marketing language. 

Understanding how a headphone sounds before you buy it is both important and difficult. Unless you can try it for yourself ahead of time, it’s always worth reading reviews for professionals and real listeners. Don’t stop at one. Because everyone’s ears are different, we perceive sound differently, and a single review may not capture exactly how the headphones will sound to you. Take a broad overview of feedback by reading Amazon reviews and searching for the headphones on community forums like Reddit’s r/headphones and Head-Fi.

While upgrading your headphones is usually the best way to enhance your listening experience, it’s also important to consider what you’ll be listening on. Some headphones, like the HIFIMAN HE-1000, require more power than your average laptop or headphone adapter can provide to sound their best. Others use special 4.4mm or XLR balanced cables that reduce audio signal noise and accept more powerful output but require special jacks that those devices won’t provide. 

You can get a good idea of a headphone’s power needs by reading reviews and seeing what other people are listening on. Still, if you’d rather know exactly what they take to drive, we recommend using Headphones.com’s power calculator and finding a source device that will truly do them justice. 

As luck would have it, I’ve written an extensive guide on exactly this. For audio quality, you’ll need a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). For audio power, you’ll need an amplifier. These can be purchased separately but also come as hybrid, combined units to keep things simple and compact. If you’re planning to listen in one place, a larger desktop DAC may be a good choice but if you’re on the go or want to listen while doing chores, you’ll want something pocketable. 

On the higher end, the iFi xDSD Gryphon is an excellent choice. It offers fantastic audio quality, enough power for any pair of headphones, and xBass and xSpace enhancements to add low-end and spaciousness to your sound. It’s a bit bigger than a smartphone, so is pocketable, but may still be too big if you’re carrying other items at the same time. If space is a concern, the Questyle M15i is a great, bite-sized alternative (it’s literally about the size of a fun-sized candy bar) that sounds amazing and still has enough power for most headphones. On the budget end, the Moondrop Dawn Pro is even smaller and can run nearly any pair of in-ear monitors and many less demanding headphones too.

You can also go all-out and get a digital audio player (DAP). The best DAPs are completely dedicated to music and feature top-tier components, plenty of power, and features dedicated to ensuring you have the best listening experience possible. The FiiO M11 Plus remains our go-to recommendation for its competitive features, Android OS, and high output for its price, though FiiO offers portables at every price point (as well as a stellar Android-based desktop media streamer/amp, the R9, for power-hungry headphones). If you don’t need Android, the Hidizs AP80 Pro-X is an excellent and much more affordable alternative (and you can pair them with the $199 MP145 planar-magnetic IEMs for a budget rig that punches well above its price).

Sonically, wired headphones will always produce a more rich, resolving sound than wireless ones (though the gap is narrowing). And planar magnetic headphones are certainly beloved in the audiophile community and have some major advantages. If you want clarity and detail, they’re hard to beat. Their unique design and large size allows them to offer an exceptionally wide frequency response range and, usually, a more spacious listening experience. That word “usually” is key here. Planar magnetics have a uniquely crisp sound, but the overall acoustics have a great deal to do with how its designer has tuned it and crafted its sound signature. There is no one size fits all or best. When it comes to headphones, it’s all about personal space. 

They absolutely can be! While gamers often choose gaming headsets due to their microphone, if you can live without a built-in mic, many headphones that are great for music excel in gaming. Consider that many games, especially multiplayer shooters, benefit from exceptional clarity, positional accuracy, and a spacious presentation. In comparison to most gaming headsets, many great headphones for music offer far better performance in exactly these areas. If you’re considering picking up a pair of music headphones for gaming, we recommend going with an open-back design unless sound bleed is a concern. Look for terms like “wide soundstage” and “great imaging” within reviews. 

This depends on the model. While some can, others cannot. Another important thing to consider is if they sound the same plugged in as they do wirelessly. Some wireless headphones, like the Dali iO-12, can sound great when wired to a quality source, but others sound like completely different headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM5, for example, is one of the most popular wireless headphones on the market because of the excellent ANC and seemingly endless app settings for customizing the sound. But you’d never guess it by listening to them over the 3.5mm jack. When plugged in, the internal processing is disabled, so all of the intricate tuning performed by Sony goes out the window. This isn’t the case with every set but the only way to know for sure is to research that specific model.

• Best overall: Sennheiser HD 660 S2
• Best dynamic: Focal Utopia (2022)
• Best planar: HIFIMAN Arya Organic
• Best closed back: Meze LIRIC II
• Best for mixing: Sony MDR-MV1
• Best for iPhone: Questyle NHB-15
• Best in-ear headphones: Thieaudio Monarch MKIII
• Best for gaming: beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 
• Best budget: Philips SHP9600

Wired headphones may seem like a blast from the past, but when it comes to sound quality, they’re a wave that will ride long into the future. There’s a lot to consider but it’s worth the effort. Whether you’re getting lost in your favorite song, blocking out the world on your commute, or putting your feet up with a new game, a great pair of wired headphones is the gift that keeps on giving. 

The post The best wired headphones in 2024, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

It’s not easy being green–or blue, or purple, or orange–at least not if you’re an octopus. Cephalopods are well-known for their incredible ability to camouflage and communicate via their rapidly color-changing skin. But the process of shifting hues or holding a color takes a significant amount of effort, according to a study published November 18 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Octopuses expend the same amount of energy activating their color-changing system as they do maintaining all other aspects of their resting metabolic rate, including digestion, respiration, organ function, and circulation, per the new research.

The findings are the first to quantify how much work goes into switching on chromatophores, the specialized color-changing organs connected to cephalopods’ muscle and nervous systems, which dot the marine invertebrates’ skin like pixels. When at rest, chromatophores are spherical, appearing as small points of pigment–but when expanded, they become flattened disks of color that visually merge together in remarkable displays. 

Video: Octopus skin chromatophore expansion under white light. Credit: Sophie Sonner.

Different types of cephalopods have different concentrations of chromatophores. Shallow water octopuses like the species used in the study (Octopus rubescens) have about 230 chromatophores per square millimeter of skin–lending them high resolution hues. 

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“Octopuses have the HD or the 4K skin,” says Matthew Birk, a marine biologist studying cephalopods at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania. Birk wasn’t involved in the new research, but notes, “It’s a really neat study.” The authors “were able to isolate how much of the energy these octopuses consume every day is going towards using their camouflage system…I’m not aware of anybody else that has this cleanly separated out that portion of [metabolism],” Birk explains. “I am quite surprised at how expensive it is to operate.” 

When fully at rest, octopuses are very pale–close to white with tiny speckles, notes Sofie Sonner, lead study author who completed the work as part of her Master’s Thesis at Walla Walla University in Washington. Which means that, just about any time you’ve seen an image or video of a shallow water octopus out and about, and it’s appeared purpley brown, reddish, or patterned, it’s been tensed up. “They have to flex muscles in their skin to make this happen,” explains Kirt Onthank, study co-author and a professor of biology at Walla Walla University.

To quantify the exertion necessary for that color flex, Onthank and Sonner took small skin samples from 17 live ruby octopuses. The scientists temporarily anesthetized the cephalopods so that they could undergo their minor biopsies with minimal discomfort. “We put them in ethanol and then raised the ethanol level until we essentially got them so drunk they passed out,” says Onthank. “It didn’t seem to bother them too much after we woke them up,” he adds. 

Within 15 minutes of collection, each skin sample was mounted on a specially designed microscope slide set-up, complete with oxygen sensor and 3D-printed chamber. In repeat trials, the scientists exposed each skin bit to dark and light conditions while it was still fresh and the cells remained alive and responsive, which alternately de-activated and expanded the chromatophores. They measured oxygen consumption as a proxy for cellular metabolism and energy use in each phase of the experiment. 

Video: Ruby octopuses in the wild near Whidbey Island, Washington, change color. Credit: Kirt L. Onthank.

Previous studies of other color-shifting organisms like fish and newts have attempted to quantify the cost of color across a whole individual, by putting organisms in different environments to spur a change and then assessing oxygen or food consumption. However these past studies are inexact because it’s difficult to separate the impacts of induced color change from the stress of manipulating an animal in a lab environment. 

The new method eliminates this challenge, and reveals that the skin samples’ oxygen use shoots up (literally from 0 to 60) when chromatophores are expanded. Using a complex model of octopus surface area, obtained by putting an octopus in a 3D scanner, Onthank and Sonner estimated that the total body cost of activating chromatophores would be about equivalent to the energy used in maintaining all other physiological processes of the animals’ resting states. “It’s as much as their nervous system, their guts–their everything else,” says Onthank. “Though octopuses make color change look effortless, it isn’t for them.”

Even this estimate is likely conservative, says Sonner–given that their octopus surface area assessment oversimplifies and smooths the cephalopods, not accounting for every dip, divot, and bit of texture. Plus, assessing the energy use of a single piece of skin doesn’t measure for the cognitive effort that cephalopods are likely using to coordinate their full-body camouflage. In future work, the researchers would like to compare the chromatophore energy consumption of different species, look at the relationship between mass and chromatophore demand, and develop a better method for measuring real-time, full-body energy use related to color change, says Onthank. 

But for now, the apparent extreme expense of chromatophores adds to the evolutionary mystery of how such a costly system developed, says Birk. The ancestors of contemporary cephalopods had shells for protection, but somewhere along the way the lineage lost them–presumably because it became advantageous to be soft-bodied and spry as opposed to hard and heavier. “There’s different possibilities for why they did that, but clearly they did and it’s worked for them– which is impressive when it’s this expensive,” he says. 

Video: An octopus at Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory catching a crab, and changing color. Credit: Kirt L. Onthank.

While it prompts new questions, it also provides possible answers for others. The effort needed to activate the chromatophore network may explain aspects of cephalopod behavior and ecology. For instance the study authors hypothesize the energy cost of color change could account for why octopuses spend so much time holed up in their dens and tend towards nocturnality, even with their expert camouflage ability. “It if took you incredible amounts of energy to get up and go out, because you had to get dressed up every time, maybe you would just wait until everybody’s gone and you can go out in your PJ’s,” says Onthank–making octopuses akin to dedicated but reclusive make-up and style influencers. 

The new findings might also illuminate why deep-water cephalopods have a reduced chromatophore system. “As you go deeper, it gets darker, which means that octopuses don’t really need to worry as much about predators seeing them,” says Kirt Onthank, study co-author and a professor of biology at Walla Walla University in Washington. “Nature tends to take the easier path,” he adds. “If you don’t need a very expensive system, then you’re probably going to get rid of it.”

The post For octopuses, changing colors is hard work appeared first on Popular Science.

Headphones aren’t all created equal, especially headphones for audiophiles. Like sports cars, there are different tiers, categories, and features at different price points. However, if you want the best-sounding headphones for the money (and some but not all are significant money), look no further than these. They’re made for critical listeners with discerning tastes that are as varied as normal listeners but demand attention to detail and nuance that puts brands on notice. Of course, the audiophile market is also rife with snake oil, over-inflated promises, hype, and cope from listeners eager to justify their purchase. That’s where we come in, filtering out the nonsense and separating the wheat from the chaff so you know you’re getting something good. Headphones are subjective; even our best overall, the HIFIMAN Arya Organic, isn’t necessarily the best for everyone. So, we’ve selected the best headphones for audiophiles across various categories so you can shop with peace of mind.

• Best overall: HIFIMAN Arya Organic
• Best over-ear: Austrian Audio The Composer
• Best closed back: Meze LIRIC II
• Best planar: Audeze LCD-5
• Best splurge: Focal Utopia 2022
• Best for sound design: AKG K712 Pro
• Best wireless: DALI IO-12
• Best true wireless earbuds: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
• Best in-ear monitor: FiiO FA19
• Best for gaming: Sennheiser HD 800 S
• Best budget: Grado SR-60X

Throughout my decade-plus career covering consumer tech, I’ve been lucky enough to combine my passion for music with my love of writing. I’ve tested hundreds of pairs of headphones, in-ear monitors, and gaming headsets at many different outlets, including MMORPG.com, IGN, Tom’s Hardware, PC Perspective, and right here at Popular Science. I love audio and everything that goes with it, like different listening devices, from the best DACs and amps to digital audio players. 

For this guide, I started by considering all of the headphones and IEMs I’ve tested this year and worked backward across my career. I considered which seemed to have that “magic sauce,” whether that was in comfort, sound quality, soundstage, or something more. I then expanded my search to include sets I haven’t listened to personally but trusted experts like PopSci’s own Tony Ware have. With those picks in mind, I consulted professional reviews and user reviews on forums like Head-Fi. Of the assembled picks, our team has had hands-on time with nearly all of them, and I, personally, have used seven. We know these are good from first-hand experience and supplement that with wider perspectives from the audio community. 

Do high-quality headphones really make a difference? I’d love to say no, but I’d be lying. That’s not to say there aren’t overperformers—headphones that really punch above their price point. These are the best headphones designed for audiophiles at all price points, and they offer some of the best listening experiences available today.

Chris Coke

Why it made the cut: This update to an already excellent pair of headphones puts it over the top at a fair price. 

Specs

• Price: $1,149
• Wearing style: Over-ear 
• Driver type: Planar magnetic
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 440 grams
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Sensitivity: 94dB

Pros

• More comfortable and secure fit
• Elegant new design
• Fuller sound with excellent detail and soundstaging

Cons

• Requires an amplifier for the best sound
• May be too large for some listeners

The original HIFIMAN Arya has been a staple recommendation in audiophile circles since its debut in 2018. Now that the Arya Organic has arrived, it takes the crown as our top recommendation because, and it might sound strange to say this about something that costs a grand, but it’s the best value. It’s not just that they sound great and highlight just how exceptional planar magnetics can be, but they come at a fair price—at least in audiophile terms, where this kind of performance is typically multi-thousands.

The Arya Organic upgrades the Arya in virtually every way the community asked for. The original was lauded for its exquisite detail but was often acknowledged as lacking a bit in the low end. No more. The Arya Organic brings the full-bodied bass audiophiles have been craving and so without taking anything away from the higher frequencies. It has a wide, spacious sound (something the previous iteration, the Arya Stealth, was sometimes criticized for) and exquisite imaging. It’s also detail-rich, so you can make out every time detail of your music and how the layers work together to create each song. You can close your eyes and almost feel like you’re there. 

Another big improvement comes with the fit and finish of the headphones. The original Arya—and most of HIFIMAN’s line-up—was very large, with oval-shaped earcups extending down to the jawline. While that’s a love-it-or-hate-it feature all by itself, the vanilla Arya was also a bit loose, which could make it hard to get a proper seal. This new model has almost identical earcups, but they fit more snugly for a secure and stable fit. It also drops the bland black earcups for wooden veneers for an even classier look. 

Though the company has made strides with the driving power required for the Arya to sound their best, we’d still advise against plugging these directly into your MacBook. A good amp in between, like the Questyle M15i or iFi xDSD Gryphon (or iFi NEO iDSD 2 if you want plentiful I/O and a well of power), goes a long way toward making these shine. There’s not much to do about their large ovular earcups, so if you’re looking for something a bit more standard with a really appealing midrange, the Audeze MM-500 is another great over-performer.

Tony Ware / Popular Science

Why it made the cut: Comfort and resolution are the name of the game with these headphones, making them one of the easiest recommendations in their price bracket. 

Specs

• Price: $2,295
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic 
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 385 grams
• Impedance: 22 ohms
• Sensitivity: 112 dB

Pros

• Easy to drive 
• Very comfortable and reasonably sized 
• Neutral but incredibly detailed and well-extended

Cons

• Stock cables are a bit stiff

Austrian Audio is a newer brand in the audiophile community, but it’s made up of industry veterans in, you guessed it, Austria (Vienna, to be precise). They make top-notch studio headphones and microphones for producers, and that’s great for content creators. For content consumers, meanwhile, The Composer is a flagship pair of headphones that sets a high-water mark for over-ear headphones. It’s 385 grams, though you may not realize it when you put it on. Its design is all about comfort. You can tell as much from its lush ear cushions, full-back grilles, and perforated headband; it challenges audiophile convention, which is usually big and bulky, and instead implies an airiness that’s as fresh in this space as it is appealing. You can wear these headphones for hours, rotate the cups and lay them flat around your neck when you need a break, and put them on for hours more without discomfort.

Comfort is only one piece of why we chose these for this category. Listening to these headphones is an object lesson in extension and presentation. The bass reaches deep for an open-back while the treble reaches high, but neither goes to extremes. The acoustic engineers dialed in both with such precision that music sounds large and dynamic without becoming fatiguing or leaving details on the cutting room floor. 

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. While their acoustic balance is akin to walking a tightrope, The Composer does a fantastic job of making music feel energetic and lifelike while also maintaining that poise. Their resolution is exceptional, thanks to the company’s proprietary Hi-X49 DLC (diamond-like carbon) driver. These enhanced diaphragms have a special coating, increasing their rigidity and speed and making that detail resolution possible. The end result is neutral-bright without shirking an appropriate amount of bass extension. These are headphones painstakingly engineered for insight.

Some reviewers found the cables to be a bit of a drag, and we mean that literally, as they’re long and can be a little stiff. And because they use a proprietary jack to connect to each earcup, they’re not compatible with most third-party replacements. But Austrian Audio includes several cables in the box with different terminations to connect to whatever source gear you have at hand. You won’t need a big amp either, as The Composer is surprisingly easy to drive. With excellent tonality and technicalities and ultra-fast transients, our first listen to this headphone provided the biggest “wow” moment of 2024 for us.

Stan Horaczek / Popular Science

Why it made the cut: These closed-back cans offer a surprisingly spacious sound and next-level sound quality. 

Specs

• Price: $2,000 
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Planar magnetic
• Earcup style: Closed-back
• Weight: 427 grams
• Impedance: 61 ohms
• Sensitivity: 100dB

Pros

• Phase-X Spatial Imaging makes these sound like open-backs without the noise bleed
• Elegantly designed, gorgeous in appearance, yet surprisingly comfortable
• Massive amounts of detail and resolution

Cons

• Quite bulky
• Treble can sometimes have an edge

The Meze LIRIC II is the successor to the original Meze LIRIC, which was a favorite among our team. It’s a solid evolution on the original, enhancing the sound quality, aesthetics, and soundstage. Its planar-magnetic drivers already sounded great, but now that the LIRIC II is available, it’s the closed-back pair of headphones to buy.

Closed-back cans get a bad rap due to their more intimate sound profile. It’s a trade-off most people accept when they need isolation, but you won’t need to make any such sacrifices here. Thanks to Meze’s Phase-X Spatial Imaging technology, these sound more like an open-back pair of headphones than any other closed-back we’ve tested. 

Between the boutique planar magnetic driver and the Phase-X technology, the LIRIC II also counts itself among some of the most detailed and high-resolution headphones available at this level of luxury headphone. It’s the counterpart to the Meze Empyrean II, another class-leading pair of headphones utilizing an open-back design, and punches just as high. 

Of course, one of the biggest reasons you might choose a closed-back pair of headphones is to take it with you on the go. Given their size and price, the Liric II may not be the best choice. For something more portable and cost-effective, the DALI IO-12 (featured below) is a good alternative that also offers high-res wireless and active noise cancellation to its feature set.

Tony Ware

Why it made the cut: Eye-wateringly expensive, yes, but these headphones might just bring tears to your eyes. 

Specs

• Price: $4,500
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Planar magnetic 
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 420 grams
• Impedance: 14 ohms
• Sensitivity: 90 dB

Pros

• Fairly easy to drive
• Very revealing and exceptionally detailed 
• Exquisite craftsmanship

Cons

• That price
• They’re heavy (but lighter than previous generations)

Can headphones be art? Take a look and listen to Audeze’s flagship LCD-5 and you just might become a believer. Though these headphones are so expensive that they’re priced out of reach of many listeners, try them if you get the opportunity and prepare to be wowed. 

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already aware of Audeze’s legendary status in the audiophile community. The company is nearly single-handedly responsible for pushing planar-magnetic drivers into the audiophile community and, increasingly, mainstream headphones (such as the well-received Maxwell gaming headset). The LCD-5 sits at the apex of its catalog, incorporating all of its latest sound-enhancing technologies and showcasing a level of craftsmanship that’s found only in the highest levels of the audiophile hobby. In fact, every LCD-5 is assembled by hand in the Audeze’s California workshop. 

Honing in on the details—a must with such a premium product—nearly every aspect of the headphones has been updated and improved from the prior LCD-4. For sound, the LCD-5 utilizes Audeze’s new Parallel Uniforce voice coil, allowing the engineers to tune the voltage response at individual points on the driver. Not an engineer? That essentially means this is the clearest and lowest distortion driver Audeze has ever made, and it’s available to buy on the market today. It works in conjunction with a proprietary Fazor waveguide system to prevent phase interference as the sound waves make their way out of the driver and into your ear. 

Every element of these headphones has been crafted for your enjoyment and comfort. They incorporate magnesium and carbon fiber throughout their design to shave a whopping 290 grams from the weight of their previous flagship. They use a suspension headband system to distribute their weight across your head evenly and lush, leather ear pads cradle your ears and enhance their bass. 

But let’s be real here: 420 grams is still pretty heavy. At that weight, just about any pair of headphones will eventually become fatiguing and that’s just as true here. They can also be revealing to a fault. If you’re listening to a track that hasn’t been mastered well… let’s just say you’ll be crossing your fingers for a remaster.

With the caliber of sound it offers and the craftsmanship it exemplifies, a bit of extra mass and doing its job too well can be forgiven. The LCD-5 embodies “summit-fi” in every regard.

Why it made the cut: If you’re looking to invest in blue-chip components, these are best-of-the-best open-back headphones.

Specs

• Price: $4,999
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: 40mm “M”-shaped beryllium dynamic
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 490 grams
• Impedance: 80 ohms
• Sensitivity: 104 dB

Pros

• Unrivaled fidelity
• Fit (and feel) like a glove
• Stunningly lifelike soundstage

Cons

• Price is out of reach for most

Let’s just get it out of the way: Yes, the Focal Utopia has a jaw-dropping $4,999 price tag … that’s an additional $500 over even the LCD-5 above, our second-most-expensive pick. But this is the best splurge, so you were warned. And if you’re still with us, it’s because you want to learn more about the cream of the crop. 

French manufacturer Focal built a reputation for producing some of the most beautiful and best-sounding speakers available (most recently, the incredibly indulgent $40K Diva Utopia 3-way active wireless loudspeakers). That tradition continued with the launch of the company’s portable pinnacle in 2016. Utopia—Focal’s flagship open-back, over-ear headphones—produced an astonishingly revealing, deep soundstage. Inside, a pair of 40mm beryllium “M”-shaped dome dynamic drivers took advantage of the precious metal’s extreme lightness and stiffness to produce a smooth, ultrawide frequency response reminiscent of Focal’s premium speaker drivers. (A note about beryllium: This metal is hazardous in certain forms and contexts but is generally considered safe inside headphones and speaker drivers. For more information, see Focal’s documentation outlining precautions for use.)

The Utopia immediately established itself as one of the top aspirational audiophile headphones thanks to engineering that suspended its angled drivers in an open-air chamber to achieve an open, lifelike sound stage and remarkable detail reproduction. Utopia’s cozy fenestrated lambskin earcups connected to the plush headband with a carbon fiber yoke to minimize both weight (490g) and acoustic coupling, allowing pairs to stay effortlessly on the head of proud owners who extolled their pleasure continuously for the last five years. In 2022, however, the Utopia underwent an aesthetic makeover and sonic refinement. The voice coil, previously all aluminum, is now a blend of 30% copper and 70% aluminum, while the interior grill is now curved to match the driver.

These changes increase the headphones’ durability and conscientiously tweak its tuning, slightly shelving treble without dulling clarity and slightly extending subbass without affecting cohesion. It all adds up to an incredible sound stage with stunning realism and a frequency response of 5 Hz–50 kHz that emphasizes revealing musicality rather than unforgiving transparency (check out the Sennheiser HD 800 S below for that). Neutral-warm with immaculate imaging, able to deliver the attack and decay of each note with authority, the Focal Utopia 2022 is the idyll ideal—impressive not because of its sheer power but because of its absolute prowess.

While the 80-ohm Utopia can play nice with most sources, experiencing every lithe, lightning-quick transient at its best requires you use a great balanced amp and feed these headphones a quality signal. A most synergistic option is the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition. This amp/DAC/streaming music player supports Roon, TIDAL, Spotify, AirPlay 2, up to 32bit/384kHz via UPnP, etc., and features a dynamic voicing and presentation in lock-step with the pace, rhythm, and timing of any Utopia (especially when using the included balanced cable). If you’re looking for sonic solace, this pairing is pure bliss.

Utopias giving you sticker shock? We feel you. The Focal Clear Mg (for Magnesium, the driver’s material) is the company’s mid-level open-back at only $1,599. And if you want to spend even less to sample the company’s spacious dynamics, the “entry-level” Hadenys is a steal at $699. As for a more affordable network player/headphone amp that can stream everything and drive anything (including the Utopia) with verve, the $1,599 FiiO R9 is highly recommended.

Tony Ware / Popular Science

Why it made the cut: If you want to appreciate the attach and decay of every note, AKG headphones never lose sight of a tune’s trajectory. 

Specs

• Price: $350
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: 40mm dynamic driver
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 235 grams
• Impedance: 62 ohms
• Sensitivity: 105 dB

Pros 

• Delivers reference-level directional cues
• Added warmth doesn’t mask details
• Long-term comfort

Cons

• They feature more bass than the K701, but it won’t be enough for bassheads
• Zero isolation, so a controlled environment is a must
• Not very portable

In July 2024, we went on a tour of the Harman Experience Center in Northridge, Calif. Among the displays was the AKG headphones lineup—a visual reminder (see below) of the brand’s role in the audiophile headphone evolution. Well before there was Dolby Atmos and spatial audio (the olden days of 2006), there was the K701—a headphone known as an analytical and imaging benchmark. For those craving or carving precision, the Varimotion diaphragm delivered uncolored clarity that caught on both among professional mixing/mastering engineers and at-home soundscape obsessives.

Refinement was a defining trait of the K701, but there was always a critical undercurrent that there could be more low end. Seven years later (the slightly less olden days of 2013), the K712 Pro was introduced with a 10 – 39800 Hz response featuring 3dB more bass, which added subtle warmth without sacrificing the signature smooth midrange and fatigue-free treble. Picking the K712 Pro up again in the even less olden days of now, it’s a headphone that still delivers precise spatial cues across an expansive soundscape. Want to appreciate a meticulous arrangement? Arrange to get a pair of these.

A decade removed from the K712 Pro’s debut, we’re well into four-figure headphones being the norm, so the fact this headphone still competes is impressive. With every replay of your favorite tracks, you’ll discover new nuances because the all-day comfort of the K712 Pro’s self-adjusting leather headband and circumaural velour earpads allow for marathon playback sessions. Audiophiles reside at the intersection of ecstasy and agony, driven to madness by a desire to hear all the imperfections sound perfect, and audiophile headphones are their vehicles to both salvation and torment. So you might as well make sure that vehicle is comfortable. 

The K712 Pro’s black-and-orange color scheme has managed to remain modern, and those accents are as flashy as things get. It’s a simple enough package that includes the headphones, a straight and coiled cable, a quarter-inch adapter, and a drawstring carrying bag. There’s no hardcase, no hinges—only what you need for airy, effortless listening. While the package might be austere, the sound is anything but. If a transient wants to be untethered, the K712 Pro will set it free. This is neutrality without monotony.

The K712 Pro is not a headphone for EDM or other genres full of sub-bass slam, but it’s also not marred by splashy, trashy high-end. You’ll appreciate the spacious but natural reproduction if you’re crafting or consuming acoustic, jazz, classical, or even heavy metal. That’s partially the product of the open-back design, and, like many of our top picks, you’re sacrificing any isolation for almost speaker-like depth and instrument separation. So, pick your listening station carefully. Also, consider gear pairings, as the moderate sensitivity means the K712 Pro really doesn’t open up without proper amping. However, if you’ve got a solid signal chain and want to try and force synesthesia, hearing the colors of the woodwinds and nearly tasting guitar licks, the K712 Pro is a conduit for hearing sound as good as it can sound.

Tony Ware / Popular Science

Why it made the cut: DALI brings its speaker expertise to the wireless world and delivers exceptional set-it-and-forget-it sound. 

Specs

• Price: $1,300
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic
• Earcup style: Closed-back
• Weight: 370 grams
• Battery Life: 35 hours
• Bluetooth Codec: AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive

Pros

• Proprietary driver design delivers exceptional clarity
• Extended battery life
• Versatile connectivity options

Cons

• No wear sensors
• No companion app for customization

DALI built its reputation on the design and quality of its loudspeakers, and its DALI IO-12 sets a similar high-water mark for the company. They don’t come cheap; in fact, the IO-12 is one of the most expensive pairs of wireless headphones you can buy on Amazon. What you get for that investment is the best pair of wireless headphones you can buy in sheer audio quality.

The DALI IO-12 puts sound quality first, quickly followed by comfort and battery life: the trifecta for any great pair of wireless headphones. Inside the plush (a nice way to say oversized) ear cushions are bespoke drivers utilizing DALI’s proprietary Soft Magnetic Compound magnet to reduce distortion to levels so low that they become downright revealing. You’ll hear every nuance of your favorite songs, from the subtle decay of cymbals to the room’s ambiance in live recordings. And despite being closed-back, the sound profile is surprisingly spacious and airy. Much like the company’s excellent RUBIKORE 2 speakers, which we auditioned recently, the DALI IO-12 comes across as matter-of-fact on first listen. But that’s because, unlike a lot of competitors tuned for artificial excitement, these headphones aren’t imposing themselves on the response, just accurately reproducing.  

The DALI IO-12 headphones don’t rely on a companion app to hone their sound, which is a plus as well as a minus. There’s nothing to download here; you simply adjust volume, tracks, and ANC using its simple onboard controls. There are two EQ profiles to choose from: a standard tuning and another that pulls back the treble and boosts the bass. It’s not overdone, either. While the IO-12 isn’t a bass cannon, the clarity of its drivers can reveal the cracks of poorly recorded tracks, and toggling this setting can rein in that high-end while giving tracks a bit more power at the same time.

Of course, the lack of a companion app means that you’re left with the settings DALI provides and can’t adjust them. This would be a bigger deal if they didn’t sound so darn good, but this may not be the set for you if you require an EQ because of a very specific preferred signature. Likewise, since they lack wear detection, they won’t auto-pause or resume your music when you take them off or on. There are probably better choices if you want headphones for work, but not many better choices if you want headphones that just work for you.

Part of this is because a major selling point of the DALI IO-12 is connectivity. Connecting over Bluetooth, it supports high-res listening with aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive, as well as AAC if your device (an iOS one, specifically) doesn’t support those codecs. You can also plug it in with a standard 3.5mm cable if you already have a great DAC. If you don’t, they can also connect over USB-C, and the headphones act as a DAC for your PC, supporting high-res audio up to 96kHz. 

The best things in life don’t always come cheap, but the DALI IO-12 is one example of where that investment pays dividends both inside and outside your home. You might turn some heads with what’s on your head, but you won’t even notice you’ll be so engrossed in audio.

Chris Coke

Why it made the cut: Audiophilia on the go: these true wireless earbuds are the perfect blend of sound quality and features and adapt to your ears. 

Specs

• Price: $299.95
• Wearing style: In-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic
• Battery Life: 7.5 hours (30 hours with charging case)
• Bluetooth Codec: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive/Lossless, LC3

Pros

• Personally tailored sound for your ears
• Good battery life 
• Great active noise cancelation

Cons

• 1.5-hour total charging time

Sennheiser is one of the most trusted names in consumer and professional audio, and the company’s headphones—like the HD 650, HD 660S2, and the HD 800 S we feature below—have long been audiophile staples. With the Momentum True Wireless 4 (MTWS4), the company finally has a pair of true wireless earbuds that top the charts in the sound quality they’re able to provide. It offers very good, though not the absolute best ANC, but is exceptionally well-rounded and has a killer feature that makes it the best choice for audiophiles.

The Momentum True Wireless 4 checks all of the boxes for a flagship pair of IEMs. It has a high-quality companion app, good battery life, fast charging, wear detection, multipoint connectivity, and the list goes on. What sets it apart, however, is its Sound Personalization system. While other TWS earbuds have offered similar customization systems, with the Momentum True Wireless 4, it’s a game changer. 

Using a sample song and a series of sliders, you craft a sound profile that caters to exactly what you want to hear in your music. It works based on instruments and their volumes, essentially letting you master your own audio. When you’re done, you can fine-tune the sound with a final slider. The resulting sound transformation is nothing short of remarkable.

If you want the best noise cancellation while still receiving high-quality sound, we recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sony WF-1000XM5 as the industry leaders on that front. The same is true if you want buds that recharge to 100 percent quickly. The Momentums take around 90 minutes to recharge fully, though with 7.5 hours of playtime and eight minutes in the charging case returning more than an hour of listening, you may not have to worry about this often. And if you want some of the most articulate earbuds, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 balance imaging and energy, though they’re $399. But if you want a sound that’s crafted around your personal preferences and delivered with richness and detail, the Sennheisers are easily the best in class. And as a bonus, they’re often on sale for $50 or more off MSRP!

Chris Coke

Why it made the cut: These impressive in-ears deliver clarity and versatility in a refined package.

Specs

• Price: $999.99
• Wearing style: In-ear
• Driver type: Balanced armature
• Weight: 7 grams (each earpiece)
• Impedance: 10 ohms
• Sensitivity: 106 dB

Pros

• Outstanding detail
• Tuning switch provides two different sound signatures
• Great for musicians as well as audiophiles

Cons

• Large fit may not be comfortable for listeners with smaller ears 

FiiO has been a rising star in the audiophile world for some time, starting with simple portable amps and DACs to now delivering some of the best value earphones and listening devices on the market. The FA19 is its latest set using only balanced armatures (BAs), and it earns our pick for best in-ear thanks to its combination of performance and versatility.

The FA19 features a whopping 10 Knowles balanced armatures per side—20 tiny speakers total—to create their sonics. A combination of electronic and physical crossovers split the frequencies between these drivers, allowing each to focus on a specific frequency band instead of being a jack of all trades. As a result, these earphones offer exceptional clarity and detail while also being tuned very well to bring out the best in your music. 

FiiO pulled out all the stops with the technology in this set. It uses a negative feedback airflow system that enhances the low end while improving their comfort. A notch filter helps to fill out the treble and remove sibilance, and the “over-crisp” quality balanced armatures can sometimes produce. It also features a tuning switch that changes its sound profile.

This switch allows the FA19 to shift from a flat reference sound profile, perfect for monitoring, to a HiFi mode that adjusts the frequency response to FiiO’s custom tuning. While the former is designed to highlight details through the entire frequency range without overemphasizing any one element, the HiFi mode enhances the bass and mids for a more energetic sound. This allows the FA19 to pull double duty as a stage IEM for performing musicians or bedroom recording artists, as well as deliver a curated, robust sound signature for audiophiles. 

The FA19 is a fantastic set, but with 10 BAs per side, it’s certainly not the smallest. FiiO has engineered its nozzle and shell to accommodate a better fit, but there’s no way around its large size. Assuming you don’t have exceptionally minute ears, however, we still expect you can find a secure fit, even if they stick out a bit more than usual.

Why it made the cut: A classic for soundstage and imaging, the Sennheiser HD 800 S is the perfect audiophile headphone for dominating in games. 

Specs

• Price: $1,599
• Wearing style: Over-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic 
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 330 grams
• Impedance: 300 ohms
• Sensitivity: 102 dB

Pros

• Wide, detailed soundstage
• Light and comfortable fit for long gaming sessions
• High detail and clarity are great for music too

Cons

• Can be too bright
• Require an amp for the best sound

When it comes to the best audiophile headphone for gaming, there’s really only one choice: The Sennheiser HD 800 S. This headphone is renowned for its excellent soundstage and imaging, making it easier than ever for you to locate your enemy before they even know you’re there. While plenty of headphones will perform just fine in games (like the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and its brethren), there can only be one champion and it’s the HD 800 S.

Though they were obviously not designed for gaming (you’ll need an amp to bring out their full potential), their tuning has turned out to be the best of any audiophile headphone we’ve tested. They’re bright and accentuate details like footsteps and gunshots. Paired with their soundstage and positional accuracy, these headphones become, as one reviewer at Headphonesty put it, “holographic.” 

The other thing these headphones have going for them is their light weight and great comfort. They only tip the scales at 300 grams, making them one of the lightest headphones in this list. They’re also lushly padded and breathable, allowing you to wear them for hours as you grind through matches. 

So, whether you’re diving into your first match of Valorant, Counter Strike 2, or another competitive shooter, or you’re a grizzled vet looking to climb ever higher on the leaderboards, the combination of tuning and soundstage will make these your new best friend. 

And, of course, they’re also great for music, too. Those same qualities make the HD 800 S a very resolving, detailed pair of headphones for kicking back and enjoying your favorite album. But, if you’re in the market for something that works just as well when you’re in games as it does when you’re in your lounge chair, it’s a sure bet.

Grado

Why it made the cut: At only $100, the Grado SR-60X is a great introduction to audiophile headphones and a worthy addition to any collection.

Specs

• Price: $100
• Wearing style: On-ear
• Driver type: Dynamic
• Earcup style: Open-back
• Weight: 245 grams
• Impedance: 38 ohms
• Sensitivity: 98 dB

Pros

• Lightweight and comfortable 
• No amplifier required 
• Studio-style sound with emphasized treble detail

Cons

• Some listeners find it too bright
• Sound freely travels in and out

If you’re new to audiophile headphones and aren’t ready (or willing) to spend hundreds of dollars to see if it’s “worth it,” we highly recommend the Grado SR-60X. Grado has been making products for audio lovers since 1955 and has been a popular choice in headphones since the early 1990s. Its design is iconic at this point, so you can enjoy its retro vibes and oh-so-comfy fit. 

The SR-60X is an on-ear pair of headphones but uses oversized cushions to make it one of the most comfortable takes on the style. Internally, it uses 44mm dynamic drivers that you won’t need an amplifier to drive. Audiophiles have lauded their balance and clarity. While its more expensive counterpart, the SR-80X, leans into the mids and treble at the expense of the bass, this set is much more well-rounded, offering a full sound that still captures an impressive amount of detail. Just be aware that, though many listeners love this quality about the SR-60X, others find them to be too bright, so EQ might be necessary. 

Since it uses an open-back design, it doesn’t block much sound from coming in or leaking out. If you hope to use them on a noisy commute, you may be better served with a closed-back pair of headphones, like the Audio-Technica M40X. For listening in quieter environments, its open-back design allows the music room to breathe, presenting a better sense of space, and giving each layer within your music space to be heard. 

There are lots of affordable options for headphones, but if you’re looking for something that ups the ante on sound quality and tuning, the Grado SR-60X is an excellent choice.

Shopping for audiophile headphones can be confusing. Marketing is riddled with confusing terms and in-house names for different technologies. Even reading reviews can be difficult because we all hear sound a little differently. On top of that, an audiophile doesn’t just want to ride the sound wave but to master it. And because an audiophile is looking for a personal experience, it’s important to know what your truest inner (ear) desires are before going down the path to picking your near-perfect headphones. Here are the most important things to consider when choosing the best pair for you.

Headphones come in three different styles: on-ear, in-ear, and over-ear. Over-ear headphones seal around your entire earlobe (or try to) and are the most common audiophile favorites. In-ear headphones, sometimes called in-ear monitors, in-ears, or IEMs, are wired earbuds. They come in different shapes and sizes but can often offer exceptional detail at lower prices than larger headphones. On-ear cans sit directly on the ear lobe and are smaller and more portable than over-ears.

Audiophile headphones tend to be large. Portability is less of a concern because their core focus is on delivering the best sound quality. A headphone’s size directly relates to its fit and sound quality. Massive over-ear headphones may offer a larger and more spacious sound, but they’re often heavier and need to be designed properly to avoid causing discomfort. 

Many headphones, like the HIFIMAN Arya Organic, pull this off well, but it’s important to read reviews to see how other people have found the weight and fit and compare that to your own preferences. Headphones come in many different styles, and one size does not fit all. They come in three basic varieties: on-ear (supra-aural), over-the-ear (circumaural), and in-ear, with many variations within each of these categories. Some headphones are very large, trading sleekness for larger earcups and a more spacious sound. Others are low profile and won’t attract unwanted attention on your commute. 

Headphones are either “open” or “closed.” This refers to the outer portion of the earcup and whether or not it lets air pass through. Headphones that do, usually with a metal grille, are called open-back. Those that don’t are closed-back. 

Many of the best audiophile headphones use an open-back design. This is because their ability to air to move freely around the driver often results in a wider and more natural sound. Their downside is that they’re not very isolating and allow others to hear what you’re listening to. 

Closed-back headphones trade spaciousness for isolation. If you need to block out the world or simply don’t want to bother people nearby with the sound of what you’re listening to, closed-back headphones are the better bet. 

A headphone’s driver, or transducer, is the core component that produces sound and has a major impact on the balanced and clear they will sound. There are many different types of drivers, but the two most common in full-sized headphones are dynamic and planar magnetic. 

Dynamic drivers are the most typical and can be found in headphones at every price. They’re made in a conical shape and use large magnets to drive their movement. While they can be great for all frequencies, they’re known for their cohesive sound and impactful bass.

Planar-magnetic drivers, usually called “planars,” are large and flat. The diaphragm is traced with conductive filament. To produce movement when power is applied, a large row of powerful magnets on one or both sides of the driver. This design allows them to offer a wide frequency responsive with vanishingly low levels of distortion. The downside is that headphones that use these drivers are often bigger and heavier than their dynamic counterparts. 

In-ear monitors (IEMs) use tiny versions of these drivers, as well as several others. The most common are Balanced Armatures. These small, boxy drivers are great at presenting crisp detail. They can also be found in hearing aids for this reason. Electrostatic drivers are another driver type that excels at ultra-high frequencies and adds a sense of air and space to music. Bone conduction drivers and piezo drivers are also found, but they’re less common.

The terms sound signature, frequency response, and tone all reference how a pair of headphones sounds. If you have ever used an equalizer on a pair of headphones or speakers, you have helped to craft their sound signature. More often than not, manufacturers obfuscate the nuances of their headphones’ sound, which is confounding. It’s common to read a product description only to find that the brand wants you to believe they’re good at everything. Some provide frequency response graphs that demonstrate the balance between the lows, mids, and highs, but even this isn’t a sure-fire bet, as the way the headphones fit on your ears can alter their sound. 

In general, it’s important to look for the big idea and then dig into the nitty-gritty by reading user and critic reviews. If a headphone seems like it’s being sold on its bass, the manufacturer isn’t likely to tell you that the treble sounds like it’s underwater. Take that impression, or a recommendation you’ve been given, and read as many reviews as you can muster to get the most accurate picture of how those headphones are going to sound. 

Some headphones require more power than others. If you try to plug the HIFIMAN HE-1000 into your Mac, there’s a good chance it will fall short. If you’re spending a lot on a pair of audiophile headphones, you should ensure you have enough power to hear all they have to offer.

To determine how much power your headphones need, we recommend using Headphones.com’s power calculator. You can choose your headphones from a list or, if it’s not present, you can plug in its specs and find out just how many milliwatts or volts RMS you need to run them sufficiently.

Your headphones will only sound as good as the source feeding them, so it’s also important to ensure that your source is able to deliver incredible sound quality itself. Do you need a DAC for audiophile headphones? Maybe not, but you will never regret having one. Consult our guide on the best DACs and the best digital audio players for some great suggestions at all price points. You don’t need to spend a fortune as long as you’re providing your headphones with enough power and a high-resolution signal. But, as DACs and amps are a whole other side to the audiophile hobby, just know that while performance does scale with the caliber of DAC you’re using, after you have a good source you’re happy with, upgrades tend to pale in comparison to buying a new pair of headphones.

Not always, and which is better is completely subjective. It’s true that planar magnetic headphones can offer wider frequency response ranges and added clarity, but which is better comes down to personal preference and how each is tuned. With that said, audiophile headphones often leverage planar magnetics for their enhanced clarity, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Sennheiser, for example, only uses dynamic drivers and manufactures some of the best headphones available today.

They can be! In fact, many audiophiles swear that they are. This is because they usually offer exceptional clarity and better balance than competing gaming headsets. You can hear more of what’s happening in your game. This is especially valuable in competitive shooters, where hearing your enemy before you can see them can make the difference between winning or losing a firefight. Open-back headphones are also nice because their imaging can render space and positioning naturally without relying on virtual surround sound algorithms. Even outside competitive games, a great pair of headphones can enhance your immersion and enjoyment. 

Audiophile headphones are expensive because they use higher-quality drivers and components throughout their construction. This usually results in a much higher caliber of sound. They’re also considered luxury products and address a market that is generally older and has expendable income. But not always. It’s also true that some headphones are expensive largely because they’re targeting audiophiles when their sound quality might only be average. Always read reviews before making a purchase. 

• Best overall: HIFIMAN Arya Organic
• Best over-ear: Austrian Audio The Composer
• Best closed back: Meze LIRIC II
• Best planar: Audeze LCD-5
• Best splurge: Focal Utopia 2022
• Best for sound design: AKG K712 Pro
• Best wireless: DALI IO-12
• Best true wireless earbuds: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
• Best in-ear monitor: FiiO FA19
• Best for gaming: Sennheiser HD 800 S
• Best budget: Grado SR-60X

Armed with our best audiophile headphones recommendation in 2024, you have everything you need to level up your listening experience. Once you enjoy the best of what headphones have to offer, it can be hard to go back to anything less. So keep this list on hand in case of upgraditis.

The post The best headphones for audiophiles in 2024, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

The pterosaurs that flew across prehistoric skies while dinosaurs walked the Earth came in all shapes and sizes. Some, like Cryodrakon boreas, boasted an enormous 32-feet wingspan, while other earlier pterosaurs had a more dainty 6.5 feet wide wingspan like a modern harpy eagle. Now, a newly discovered pterosaur species is helping explain this leap from a smaller to larger wingspan size and other physical changes. Skiphosoura bavarica is described in a study published November 18 in the journal Current Biology.

For paleontologists, Skiphosoura bavarica shows how these winged reptiles may have changed over time. Skiphosoura bavarica means “sword tail from Bavaria,” because it was discovered in southern Germany and it has a very unusual short, stiff, and pointed tail–similar to a sword. The specimen is complete, meaning nearly every single bone is preserved. Importantly, the bones are also preserved in three dimensions, where most pterosaurs tend to be crushed flat over time. When it lived, it would have been about the size of a golden eagle with a wingspan of about 6.5 meters. 

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For 200 years, paleontologists split the pterosaurs into two major groups. The smaller and earlier non-pterodactyloids and the later and much bigger pterodactyloids. Early pterosaurs sported short heads on short necks, a short bone in the wrist of the wing, a long fifth toe on the foot, and long tails. The later pterodactyloids had the opposite–large heads on long necks, a long wrist, short fifth toe and short tail. Which parts of their body changed and when remained a mystery.

In the 2010s, paleontologists found several intermediate species called darwinopterans. The specimens revealed that the head and neck changed first before the rest of the body. The darwinopterans were a solid example of an intermediate that bridged an evolutionary gap. However, even with this bridge, we didn’t really know what was going on before or after these changes.

[Related: ‘Remarkable’ fossils offer clues to perplexing pterosaur question.]

The Skiphosoura bones reveal these changes. On an evolutionary timeline, Skiphosoura sits between these earlier darwinopterans and the pterodactyloids. It has a very pterodactyloid-like head and neck, but also has a longer wrist and a shorter toe and tail than earlier darwinopterans, but these are not as long as we see in the later pterodactyloids. 

Along with the discovery of a completely new species, comes a new reconstruction of the pterosaur evolutionary family tree. Skiphosoura shows a middle position on the family tree, but also reveals that a Scottish pterosaur genus–Dearc–is in a similar middle position between the early pterosaurs and the first darwinopterans.

[Related: This pterosaur ancestor was a tiny, flightless dog-like dinosaur.]

The discovery means that paleontologists now have a complete sequence of pterosaur evolution–early pterosaurs to Dearc, to the first darwinopterans to Skiphosoura, to the pterodactyloids. Even though not every pterosaur specimen ever found is quite as complete as Skiphosoura, we can now trace the increase in head and neck size, the elongating wrist, shrinking toe and tail, and other features step-by-step across multiple groups. 

Both Dearc and Skiphosoura are unusually large for their time, which suggests that the changes that allowed the pterodactlyoids to reach enormous sizes were already appearing in these transitional species.

“This is an incredible find. It really helps us piece together how these amazing flying animals lived and evolved,” study co-author and Queen Mary University of London paleontologist David Hone said in a statement. “Hopefully this study will be the basis for more work in the future on this important evolutionary transition.”

The post New pterosaur species sliced through the air with a sword-like tail appeared first on Popular Science.

If you work at a computer all day, you already know how important your mouse is to your productivity. Just as importantly, a great mouse and keyboard can enhance the quality of your workday, making it more pleasant and efficient. All too often, the mice provided by our employers are inexpensive and low-quality: functional but far from ideal. So, if you’re ready to improve the quality of your work life and enhance your productivity, upgrading to one of the best mice and best keyboards should be on your to-do list. There are lots to choose from—like our best overall, the Logitech MX Master 3S—so we’ve done the research to help you narrow down the very best choices available today. These are the best mice for work in 2024.

• Best overall: Logitech MX Master 3S
• Best ergonomic: Kinesis DXT Mouse 3
• Best for Mac: Logitech MX Anywhere 3S for Mac
• Best splurge: Swiftpoint Creator
• Best value: Keychron M6

I’ve been a PC fanatic for more than 20 years. I began my writing career covering computer games after having built dozens of PCs from my early teen years and well into adulthood. I’ve used and reviewed more mice than most people will use in a lifetime, publishing my work with leading publications like Tom’s Hardware, IGN, Popular Mechanics, and, of course, Popular Science. I know what makes a great mouse for different purposes, whether for work, gaming, content creation, or anything in between.

For this round-up, I began by considering the standout mice I’ve tested over the years to see which ones have maintained their top-tier status. I then cross-referenced my thoughts with critical reviews and composed a list of other popular picks. Ultimately, I settled on four mice that I’ve used personally and one that comes highly recommended from an especially esteemed ergonomic peripherals company (the Kinesis DXT Mouse 3). I would recommend these mice to my best friends; they accomplish their goals and push beyond the limits of what you would expect. They are the best of the best.

With all of that feedback in mind, you’re ready to find the right mouse for your workday. Whether you’re looking for the perfect productivity present for yourself or others, these are the best picks of the year so far.

Why it made the cut: Well-rounded, feature-rich, and comfortable, the MX Master 3S is the quintessential “work mouse.”

Specs

• Price: $99.99
• Button count: 7 
• Sensor/DPI: Darkfield high-precision optical sensor, 8,000 DPI
• Polling rate: 125 Hz 
• Weight: 141g 
• Battery Life: Up to 70 days
• Software: Logitech Options+

Pros

• Logitech Options+ software offers advanced features
• Multi-system support
• Dual scroll wheels, including MagSpeed on the main dial

Cons

• Low polling rate
• Large size and heavy weight can feel bulky

Search far and wide, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a productivity mouse more highly recommended or better suited to the task than the Logitech MX Master 3S. This mouse has a little bit of everything and includes a software suite that expands its functionality in surprising ways. It’s ergonomically designed to avoid unnecessary stress on your wrists, includes some of the best-feeling buttons in the business, and includes neat extras like rapid MagSpeed scrolling on the middle mouse wheel and a second thumb wheel for horizontal scrolling—or any other function navigation, you can set within the Logitech Options+ software.

It’s certainly a feature-rich mouse, but that’s only part of the benefit. The other aspect is its excellent ergonomics. The mouse sits tall, promoting an angled palm grip that is very supportive. A lip extends from the left side to support your thumb. This proves to be quite important, not only for assisting in the glide of the mouse but also because you’ll frequently be using your thumb to adjust the side scroll wheel. While not great for gaming, it has a reassuring weight that is perfect for productivity work where precision is key and is the preferred peripheral of several MacBook users on staff.

Not only does it feel good in the hand (and it does, thanks to its mix of high-quality plastics and metal for the scroll wheels), but it has a feature set that can actually improve your productivity throughout the day. The Logitech Options+ software allows you to really take advantage of its advanced feature set. You can connect it to multiple machines at once and even copy and paste files between them using the software, so if you oscillate between the computers, you won’t need to spend time manually connecting to both machines. It also allows you to assign gesture controls so you can simply hold a button and simply swipe left, right, up, and down to complete different shortcuts.

The real star of the show, however, is Logitech’s MagSpeed scroll wheel. It’s akin to a fidget spinner for adults, and once you get used to it, it’s hard to go back to any mouse without it. If you work with long web pages or lengthy spreadsheets, it makes navigating those documents dramatically faster, but it also can be toggled for when you need precise line-by-line control.

Taken as a whole, the Logitech MX Master 3S may not be the cheapest mouse, but it is impressive in virtually every way, making it the premier choice for anyone looking for a pointer upgrade.

Kinesis

Why it made the cut: When ergonomics needs to come first, the Kinesis DXT Mouse 3 is the perfect choice.

Specs

• Price: $110 
• Button count: 6 
• Sensor/DPI: Optical (unnamed), 2,400 DPI
• Weight: 104g
• Connectivity: RF wireless
• Battery life: Up to one month

Pros

• Small and easy to grip
• Vertical design is perfect for avoiding unneeded stress on the wrist and arms
• Precise, pen-like control

Cons

• No Bluetooth 
• Comparatively low sensitivity

Kinesis made its name by developing ergonomic office keyboards. With the DXT Mouse 3, it brings that expertise to the world of pointers. Unlike most computer mice, this mouse is entirely vertical, allowing your hand to remain in a proper position to avoid any undue stress over time. Its design also allows it to be used with your fingertips, which, when paired with its small footprint, can make it feel downright pen-like.

The DXT Mouse 3 certainly looks a little strange. Don’t be surprised if coworkers come and ask you about it. But because it’s such a simple device, it’s easy to learn and get used to. Before long, you’ll wonder why all mice don’t better match your body’s natural positioning. Its unique shape also makes it more versatile.

Because of the pen-like way you’ll grip it, the DXT Mouse 3 offers more precise control than traditional mice. This makes it an especially good fit if you do any kind of design work but don’t want to go all the way into a stylus and touchscreen setup. Programs like CAD drafting tools work wonderfully with it.

Though Kinesis makes a handful of gaming products, this isn’t one of them. The maximum DPI is only 2,400. This should be enough for most office productivity and creative applications, but it highlights that it is purpose-designed for professionals. Its lack of Bluetooth support indicates that it’s really designed to be used with a single machine. Swapping over to a second one is fairly easy, however, since it uses a simple and compact USB dongle. 

It should come as no surprise that the company best known for its ergonomic keyboards in the office space delivers one of the best ergonomic mice, too. It’s not exactly the cheapest, but its unique design sets it apart from other vertical mice and makes it a more versatile tool for a wider range of users.

Logitech

Why it made the cut: Offering most of the benefits of the Logitech MX Master 3S in a more portable form, it’s the perfect companion for your MacBook Pro. 

Specs

• Price: $69.99
• Button count: 6
• Sensor/DPI: Darkfield high-precision optical sensor, 8,000 DPI
• Polling rate: 90Hz  
• Weight: 99g 
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired
• Battery life: Up to 70 days
• Software: Logitech Options+

Pros

• Native Mac compatibility
• Full Logitech Options+ suite
• Lightweight, portable, and stylish

Cons

• Loses some functionality from the MX Master 3S

If you’re an Apple user and would prefer to spend less than $100 on a new mouse, the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S for Mac is the perfect choice. It brings with it most of the functionality of the Logitech MX Master 3S in a smaller, more portable, Mac-friendly package. There’s little not to love about this mouse, short of the lack of a thumb wing and side scroll wheel, and it comes in around $30 less, making it a killer value.

Like the Logitech MX Master 3S, this mouse has the MagSpeed middle scroll wheel, the same excellent Darkfield optical sensor with a maximum sensitivity of 8,000 DPI, and outstanding battery life. It’s rated for up to 70 days of constant movement on a single charge. It loses the side scroll wheel, which is a bit of a bummer, but it manages to be only 70 percent of the weight of the larger Master 3S. Its thinner and more compact design also makes it easier to throw in a bag or backpack and take on the go.

You can count on the same excellent value-adding functionality of the Logitech Options+ software, too. This includes easily flowing between multiple devices (including copying and pasting files), gesture control, and Smart Actions. And no, you won’t need to plug it in just to charge it.

Logitech is a dominant force in the world of productivity mice. And both the MX Master 3S and MX Anywhere 3S make that exceptionally clear. If you’re a Mac user, this is the mouse to choose.

Swiftpoint

Why it made the cut: Advanced is an understatement for this mouse. It offers features and functionality no other mouse on the market does and is the perfect tool for creative professionals. 

Specs

• Price: $189.98
• Button count: 15
• Sensor/DPI: PixArt PMW3360, 12K
• Polling rate: 1,000Hz  
• Connectivity: Wired (USB Type-C)
• Weight: 117g 
• Software: Swiftpoint Software

Pros

• Incredibly versatile
• Unique “deep click” buttons
• Premade profiles for creative applications

Cons

• Higher learning curve

When price is no object, the Swiftpoint Creator becomes one of the most compelling objects readily available on the market. This mouse offers a deep world of customization potential, featuring up to 15 buttons and advanced features like pressure sensitivity and haptic feedback. Not interested in that? It also comes with a wide range of preset profiles and actions to match different applications, so you can set it and forget it to get mousing fast.

The Creator offers buttons on top of buttons, on top of buttons—and I mean that literally. In addition to your standard left- and right-click buttons, you have two depth-sensitive buttons positioned midway back on top, with two more buttons behind that. This combination puts six buttons directly beneath your two fingers, but it doesn’t end there. Two additional buttons are positioned just to the side of the left click, and there’s an up-and-down paddle on the left thumb.

That’s a lot of buttons—with the scroll wheel included, it brings the total to 13—but the two middle left and right clicks are also pressure-sensitive. A light click can send one action, while a “Deep Click” sends another. It’s enough to be a little overwhelming, but Swiftpoint is prepared for that. 

All of these inputs can be configured using Swiftpoint software. If it were a blank slate, you could spend hours programming it to match your workflow, but it comes ready to use with premade profiles for a range of different applications, like the Adobe suite, the Canva app, Microsoft Office, and more. 

There’s a steep learning curve here (I had to print out my presets until I had them memorized), but once you’ve committed everything to memory and customized it to meet your personal workflow, your productivity can explode. You’ll spend less time clicking around and have more control at your fingertips, saving you time and making you money. 

The Swiftpoint Creator is an incredibly capable mouse, but to keep all of these advanced features functioning properly (and, I presume, not rapidly chewing through battery life), the company decided to stick to a wired-only connection. You’ll need to contend with a cable, but battery life and recharges will never be a concern. 

The Swiftpoint Creator won’t be for everyone, but it’s a uniquely powerful mouse that can completely transform how you work.

Keychron

Why it made the cut: Taking a proven design, lowering the price, and increasing the specs, the Keychron M6 is the definition of value.

Specs

• Price: $54.99
• Button count: 6 
• Sensor/DPI: PixArt PMW3395 Optical, 26K DPI
• Polling rate: 1,000Hz  
• Weight: 78g
• Connectivity: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, wired
• Battery life: Up to 80 hours
• Software: Keychron Engine

Pros

• Proven design with great ergonomics and features
• Excellent specs make it a good choice for gaming
• Versatile connectivity 

Cons

• Lacks additional software features for productivity

Looking for a great ergonomic mouse that won’t break the bank? The Keychron M6 is exactly that and more. Taking heavy inspiration from the Logitech MX Master 3S, this mouse offers many of the same benefits while also improving the specs to a significant degree. In fact, its speed and accuracy make it a competitive choice for gaming as well as work. It’s a versatile little device with few trade-offs.

Look at it from afar, and you might just think this is the Logitech MX Master 3S. The shape, contour, and button layout are almost exactly the same, so you can count on the same ergonomic benefits. Inside, however, it uses a PixArt 3395 optical sensor with a maximum sensitivity of 26,000 DPI. It also offers a 1,000-hertz polling rate so that it will report its location back to your computer 1,000 times every second. It’s also significantly lighter, at only 78 grams. It connects with your choice of Bluetooth, rapid 2.4GHz, or using a standard USB Type-C cable, and even offers more battery life with a maximum runtime of up to 80 hours.

So why wasn’t this my pick for the best mouse for work overall? Well, its software is a bit more limited. It doesn’t offer the same easy flow between multiple machines, and there’s no transferring files with it either. Gesture control and Smart Actions are both exclusive to Logitech.

Keychron software does allow you to control different parameters, like its sensitivity and liftoff distance, and even record macros if your workflow calls for it. It also has a free-flowing scroll wheel, though it lacks the same satisfying momentum of the MX Master and MX Anywhere. Still, it’s a great alternative that comes in at a fraction of the cost and, in my opinion, feels a bit better to use thanks to its lower weight. While the MX Master 3S is purely for office work and creative applications, the Keychron M6 works well for just about anything you would like to do on your PC, including gaming, art, and everything in between. There’s even a 4,000Hz version if you’re a dedicated gamer and want to maximize its responsiveness. 

Simply put, this mouse is a steal. At its current price, it is a standout value and offers a satisfying experience across the board.

Browsing Amazon for productivity mice quickly demonstrates how wide the market has become. There are literally hundreds to choose from. I’ll break down the best picks in the next section, but to help you on your shopping journey, these are the most important things to consider. 

Mice come in many different shapes, sizes, and weights. These directly impact how the mice feel to use. While you don’t need to worry about this quite so much as with gaming mice, it’s important to consider how you tend to hold your mouse. If you tend to rest your palm behind its buttons, a larger, more contoured mouse will most likely feel comfortable and supportive. If you instead hold the mouse with your fingertips or with a claw-like shape, a smaller, slimmer mouse is a better choice. 

Another thing to consider is whether the mouse has any kind of lip to support your pinky or thumb. These small finger shelves can look a little strange at first but offer better support and glide as you slide the mouse back and forth. 

The size and shape of a mouse culminate in its ergonomics. To prevent repetitive stress injuries (RSIs), select a mouse that supports your preferred grip type and promotes proper hand positioning. To get an idea of how well a mouse will perform, begin by dropping your arms to your sides and letting them hang naturally. Raise your mousing hand in front of you without changing its position. This is the most natural position for your hand, and though most mice won’t offer exactly this positioning, the best picks allow you to keep your hand slightly angled to promote circulation and prevent muscle strain.

A mouse sensor is best thought of as a small camera that tracks its movement across your desk. This small component comes in either laser or optical forms. Optical sensors tend to be more common, but it’s possible that you may encounter laser sensors as you’re shopping. The biggest difference is that older optical sensors sometimes had trouble tracking on transparent surfaces like glass. This remains the case with very affordable mice, but most in the mid-range and higher range no longer have this challenge.

Unlike gaming mice, which tend to indicate their performance based on their sensitivity (Dots-Per-Inch or DPI), productivity mice do not need to reach for astronomically high sensitivities. Since you’ll mainly be clicking through documents, navigating websites, or perhaps working in creative applications, you shouldn’t concern yourself much with finding the highest DPI possible. Many people find DPI settings between 1,000 and 3,200 to be the most comfortable. With that in mind, it is also wise not to opt for a mouse with a very limited DPI, as this can indicate a lower-quality mouse overall. In general, it’s wise not to opt for anything less than 4,000 DPI, though there are some exceptions, like the Kinesis DXT Mouse 3 I recommend in this list. 

Productivity mice come either wired or wireless. If they are wireless, they will connect over Bluetooth or 2.4GHz. Even though different brands frequently refer to the latter connection with their own branded names (such as Logitech’s Lightspeed Wireless), you can usually tell this connection method because the mouse will come with a separate USB dongle. 2.4GHz wireless is much faster than Bluetooth but is usually best suited for gaming. There is little benefit to using 2.4GHz for productivity, so you can be confident knowing that this feature isn’t a necessity if you’d like to save a few dollars. 2.4GHz is also more taxing on the battery and leads to more frequent recharges. 

Ultimately, this comes down to personal preference, but it can be very convenient not to have additional wires cluttering your desk. If you do choose to go wireless, you’ll need to keep an eye on battery life. Thankfully, most Bluetooth productivity mice are capable of working for multiple weeks with rechargeable batteries and months with disposables.

Another important consideration if you opt for a wireless mouse is whether or not it has RGB backlighting. RGB is notoriously power-hungry and can dramatically reduce battery life, often cutting it in half. Manufacturers often obfuscate this by quoting the best-case scenario battery life with all lighting disabled. If you like colored lighting, that trade-off should be considered.

Finally, with so many options to choose from, you should always consider what additional features the mouse brings to the table. For example, Logitech offers its Options+ software, which allows you to easily use the mouse across different systems, add gesture control, and program smart actions to automate small elements of your workday.

There are also hardware features to keep an eye out for. Returning to Logitech, it has pioneered Its own MagSpeed scroll wheel, which allows the scroll to spin freely up to 1,000 lines per second or ratchet down for more precise control. Other brands offer their own unique features, like additional buttons or alternate layouts, to enhance their usefulness in certain situations.

There are so many options that you shouldn’t be afraid to shop around until you find Features and functionality that are especially appealing to you.

While this sensitivity would be comfortable for many people, depending on the resolution of your computer monitor and your own preferences for mouse speed, it may feel sluggish. These days, a 1,000 DPI mouse would be considered extremely low and any mouse listing this as its maximum resolution should raise red flags as to its overall quality. If you prefer this level of sensitivity, nearly all mice offer customizable DPI settings within their respective softwares or similar settings using built-in DPI buttons.

Gaming mice can certainly be good for work, but it’s important to keep in mind that they are often priced more highly than pure productivity mice, and they’re designed with different goals in mind. Gaming mice often feature high resolutions and maximum speeds, as well as top-of-the-line optical sensors. Very commonly, they feature aggressive designs and bright RGB lighting. These all come at a cost, and it’s not just financial. Wireless gaming mice often have shorter battery life due to their faster connections and demanding components. 

A classic question with a classic answer: The types of mouse that work best for you depend entirely on your preferences. Thankfully, the decision is less complicated than it was in the past. For many years, there was legitimate concern over the responsiveness of wireless mice as their batteries weakened. By and large, that is no longer the case. Due to advancements in battery technology, wireless mice and other peripherals maintain their performance throughout their use-time. A wireless mouse does demand recharges or battery swaps, however, so it does demand one more thing to keep in mind.

• Best overall: Logitech MX Master 3S
• Best ergonomic: Kinesis DXT Mouse 3
• Best for Mac: Logitech MX Anywhere 3S for Mac
• Best splurge: Swiftpoint Creator
• Best value: Keychron M6

While a mouse might seem like a small piece of your workday, it’s one you’ll notice every time you use your PC. A great mouse enhances your computing experience, improving the quality of your work day. Paired with a great keyboard, it’s one of the best investments you can make, and you’ll be grateful you took the time to achieve it.

The post The best mice for work in 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

Dreaming of the open road, like the bikers in Sons of Anarchy, but don’t want to deal with the maintenance, expensive gas, or dangerous side of motorcycles? Something a lot more practical is this all-terrain e-bike. 

Its Harley-inspired design will still make you feel like Jax Teller as you cruise through the city or on rugged trails. Whether you want to ditch the bus commute, save on gas, or go on joy rides, the SWFT Z.X bike is your ride. Save 16 percent and get free shipping here: $999.99 (reg. $1,199.99).

You might not be the president of the Sons of Anarchy biker gang, but you’ve got places to be. Instead of riding in your stuffy car or on a crowded bus, hop on this e-bike and get some fresh air. Exercise is optional.

Let’s say you’re taking your “Harley” to work, and the last thing you want to do at seven in the morning is break a sweat. So don’t—use the throttle to ride up to 20mph. You might even be able to sleep in longer since you no longer have to wait in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

But maybe you want to pretend you’re Jax Teller on a club run and get your pedaling in. You can use three levels of pedal assistance for different riding conditions and get help climbing hills or going over grass.

Don’t be afraid to take the bike off-road—it has 3-inch wide tires and front suspension for going on trails or in the woods. Channel your inner Easy Rider and go crazy (but still be safe, please). Ride up to 53 miles from home before the battery dies, though you can always manually pedal home. Recharging fully only takes six hours.

Brighten your commute or go on adventures with this long-range e-bike, now $999.99 with free shipping (reg. $1,999.99).

SWFT Z.X 500W Class-2 All-Terrain e-Bike with Pedal Assist – $999.99

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post It looks like a vintage motorcycle, but rides like an e-bike appeared first on Popular Science.

Migrating birds can bring along some dangerous stowaways during their epic travels–ticks. These blood sucking arachnids can carry serious pathogens including Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Powassan virus infection. Now, the ticks that hitch a ride on birds may be spreading easier and establishing themselves in newer locales due to climate change. The findings are detailed in a study published November 18 in the journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

“If conditions become more hospitable for tropical tick species to establish themselves in areas where they would previously have been unsuccessful, then there is a chance they could bring new diseases with them,” study co-author and University of Southern Mississippi biologist Shahid Karim said in a statement. 

Ticks are some of Earth’s most effective disease vectors. They can connect humans and domestic animals to diseases that typically only live in the wild like Lyme disease. Ticks can also bite onto birds–particularly migratory avians that travel thousands of miles. This hitchhiking allows the ticks to travel across vast distances.

[Related: You’re less likely to get a tick bite if you steer clear of these spots.]

Increases in global temperatures due to climate change are now making it easier for some tick species to live as an invasive species. This can also occur very quickly. For example, the Asian long-horned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) was first detected in the state of New Jersey in 2017 and can now be found in 14 additional states.

“Geographic distribution is changing very rapidly in many tick species,” study co-author and Georgia Southern University biologist Lorenza Beati said in a statement. “For some migrating exotic ticks, global warming may create conditions at their northern destination[s] that are similar to their usual range. If warmer climatic conditions are combined with the presence of suitable vertebrate hosts for all tick life stages, the chance of establishment is going to increase.”

In the new study, the team investigated tick dispersal through migrating birds. The team set up nets at six locations where birds typically stop to rest along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Each of the birds was fitted for a numbered identification band, measured, given a physical, and scoured for ticks. If and when ticks were found, the arachnids were preserved for later DNA analysis to confirm the species and identify what pathogens they carried.

Next, the team divided the birds into three categories–residents, short-distance migrants, and long-distance migrants. They also mapped out the geographic distributions of each bird species to understand where they would have picked up ticks. These maps highlighted just how far ticks could be carried. The average dispersal distances rose as high as 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers)

However, the number of ticks turned out to be fairly low. Nearly 15,000 birds were sampled–almost 2,000 of them more than once–yet only 421 ticks were collected from 164 birds. While 18 different species of tick were identified, only four species accounted for 81 percent of the ticks identified by the scientists. The short-distance migrants carried more ticks than long-distance migrants and several of the ticks samples were neotropical species not established in the United States. 

The team then analyzed the bacteria that the ticks were carrying. Francisella bacteria were the most common. These bacteria endosymbionts help ticks function, but some species can cause a disease called tularemia. Higher levels of Francisella bacteria in a tick have been associated with lower levels of two other bacteria–Rickettsia or Cutibacterium.

Rickettsia species were the second most abundant bacteria. These bacteria cause fevers or rashes depending on the species. This could indicate that they have a symbiotic relationship with ticks that was currently unknown to scientists. Sucking on the blood of migrating birds across long distances demands a significant amount of energy from the ticks to stay attached. 

It’s possible that the Rickettsia species might help the ticks cope with the energy loss of travel. Some species of Rickettsia can cause diseases in humans, including spotted fevers. However, scientists do not yet know if invasive species of ticks are likely to transmit these illnesses to humans 

According to the team, more research is needed for a better understanding of how large the impact of bird-assisted tick dispersal is. Future studies could probe into if birds act as reservoirs by carrying tick-borne diseases when they aren’t hosting ticks.

“Not only could these ticks bring new pathogens, but if they manage to establish themselves in the US, they could become additional vectors of pathogens already present in this country or maintain pathogens in wildlife reservoirs which can then become sources of infection,” said Karim. 

The best ways to protect yourself from tick-borne illnesses are wearing long sleeves when outdoors, using a good bug repellant, and doing tick checks after being outside or spending time in tick-infested areas.

The post How hitchhiking ticks are bringing diseases to new places appeared first on Popular Science.

Remember when having a transparent Game Boy or see-through phone was the ultimate status symbol? You could see all those mysterious little circuits and feel like you had a high-tech gadget straight out of the future (or at least a very cool toy). 

Well, the transparent tech trend is back with a major upgrade—meet this see-through power bank that brings all that retro charm with a 2024-level charge. With a 20W USB-C Power Delivery and dual USB Adaptive Fast Charge ports, this Transparent Retro Power Bank looks cool with an even cooler price, just $34.99 (reg. $49), but that’s only during this limited-time sale. If you don’t want to miss your chance, check out now. 

This little powerhouse has a 20,000mAh capacity, which basically means it’s like having a tiny electric grid in your pocket. That’s enough juice to charge some phones four times over or add an extra 12 hours of battery life to your iPad or Android tablet. 

The 20W USB-C PD lets you go from zero to 50% battery in about 30 minutes, and with two extra USB ports, you can charge three devices at once. And don’t worry about overheating or any other charging nightmares; it’s got built-in safety features to keep everything running smooth.

Ok, let’s talk about the look. It’s a clear casing, so you get that peek inside at the tech that’s doing all the hard work. You even get a digital battery display, so you’ll always know how much power you’ve got left.

It’s slim and lightweight, easy to slip into a bag or pocket, making it the ultimate combo of style and convenience. 

The Transparent Retro Power Bank is on sale for $34.99, but there aren’t many left. Click here to check out.

Transparent Retro Power Bank 20,000mAh Fast-Charge 20W USB-C – $34.99

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StackSocial prices subject to change. 

The post Why this $35 power bank is making us all nostalgic appeared first on Popular Science.